To have the perfect sex, you will need a relaxed mind. That is why is seems like rich and comfortable people have the best sex their body can take.

Having seem to find a solution on moving the cash, I had a more relaxed mind for the night's romp; and boy! It was hot!

From the moment the lady and I were both naked in the bath-tub inside the bathroom, I felt the jolts of pleasure as our naked bodies caressed each others. The hot steamy water was refreshing and soothing. The tub wasn't too big to contain we both but we managed, with her body resting partially on top of mine, I got my hands busy, tracing the curves of her breast, hips and stomach. I caressed her breast slowly, teasing the hard nipples and caressing her laps.

Moments later, we caressed each other until I was ready again. She squatted a bit while I positioned myself behind her inside the tub.

"Wait!" She whispered before I could penetrate.
"Condom?" I asked knowing it was the reason she asked to wait and she nodded.

"Yes, open the cabinet there." She said, pointing at the cabinet where I stashed the cash.

My heart skipped. I moved towards the cabinet before she sees the look of despair in my face. The short distance from the tub to the cabinet seemed like the longest walk I had taken. It would have been easier crossing the red sea by foot. A lot of thoughts crossed through my mind but before I could process it, I was close to the cabinet, facing it already. I moved to open the one below it but she voiced from behind.

"No, the one above!"

Now it was obvious I was going to have a long night and I might as well start confessing my crimes to her. She didn't look like the forgiving type; something I had learnt about easy going peeps: they tend to not-forgive.

Had she seen the cash earlier? Was she trying to taunt me? Was she trying to rub it on my face, to have the last laugh? A lot of questions popped up with no answers. I was still standing in front of the cabinet stark naked, staring at the doors like there was a python waiting to strike if I dared open it.
How I wish there was a python there! I thought to myself. At least the emergence of a python will have us scamp from the bathroom and save the day for me.

"Check the carton inside the cabinet!" She called out again from behind.
Now it was obvious I was done for. I might as well pretend to have seen a python and run-off the room. That would be an epic-fail to my quest for adventure! I had to think or act fast.

I opened the cabinet slowly; peeped inside and saw the carton inside. I knew what was inside; it was loads of 500 naira bills I had stashed out, not toiletries and condoms.

I decided to let it play out and see where it ends.

I slowly dragged the carton to the opened cabinet door so she can see it from where she was seated at the tub. I opened it and looked inside knowinging fully well she couldn't see the insides from where she was.

"There's no condom here!" I pronounced, closed it and left it still at the opened door of the cabinet.

"Really?" She asked. I didn't turn to look at her face; I didn't trust the look on my own face and I may end up betraying myself from the look on my face.

"No!" I said.

Then I went on to open other cabinets inside the bathroom until I found the new set that was brought that morning. I opened it and found the condom inside.

"Here it is!" I announced, waving a bundle of condoms at her. She didn't look satisfied. She still had that mischievous smile on her face. I approached her at the tub and noticed she still stole an occasional glance at the carton of cash behind me.

My dckk was flaccid when I joined her at the tub. A disturbed mind is a recipe to failure at sex. I had to work extra hard to get it up and get turned on. At a point, it was as if I wasn't going to be able to keep it up but I kept working on my game until I had it up. When I was ready, I wore the condom and we continued from where we stopped; only that this time, it wasn't as hot as it was supposed to be.

When we were done, I stayed back and told her I needed to shower before joining her at the bed. She looked at me like she had something to say but went inside without saying a word.

I turned on the shower and reminisced inside the tub as warm water sprinkled on my body. I thought about the events of the past hour.
I still didn't understand fully what had transpired but my mind gave me two versions of what I felt happened: she must have seen the carton sometime and feel it was the usual hotel stuffs inside it. Or had she opened it and saw cash inside? Was she trying to know where the cash came from by indirectly showing it to me? If that was the case, then it means I had indirectly confirmed to her that I know about the cash. I silently prayed that version 1 was what had happened and she wasn't aware of what was inside the carton. But my instincts told me otherwise.

There was little or nothing I could do at the moment. I walked out of the tub and moved towards the cabinet with the cash. The cabinet on the wall had four cardboards, one of the cardboards had a transparent glass on it. The other opposite wall had a cabinet with just 2 cardboards. It was inside one of the cardboards that I had seen the other carton with the condom. The mirror on the wall of the bathroom had yet another cardboard beneath it.
I brought out the carton with the cash, opened it and took a look at the cash. It was still intact. Loose bundles of 500 notes occupying almost half of the carton.

I moved the carton with cash into the cardboard under the mirror. I removed all the condoms in the other carton and placed the carton in the cabinet where the cash-carton was. Relieved at my temporary solution, I walked out of the bathroom.

She was fast asleep when I entered the room. It was still few hours to midnight. I lay on the bed, staring at the walls. I needed a solution to move the money and each time I thought about it, the name 'Eve' pops up. The lady was still asleep and there was no need to wake her up. Again, I reached for the handbag, took the cards and the phone lying on the bed and went out of the room.

The clock hanging at the reception read 10:55pm. The reception hall was still filled with people; drinking, eating and talking. I looked around in search for Eve. How was I going to find her at this big hotel! I needed to ask questions so I went to the young man manning one of the mini-bars at the reception.

"How's the night going?" I asked with a smile.

"Fine sire! What will you be drinking sir?" He asked elegantly with a smile on his face.

"Hmmm..." I stared confused at the richly stocked bar.
"Recommend one for me." I said.

He looked around, then smiled as her reached for one of the spirits at the bar and poured a class for me.
He stayed back and watched my face as I swallowed a mouthful.
It was bad! So bad I found it hard to swallow. Spirits wasn't my brand; hated the damn thing like a february curse but I managed to smile back at him.

"Good!" I proclaimed! "Real good."

"I knew you would love it." He teased.

I managed to take another gulp. I wanted him to feel I was his kind, a jolly good fellow. I needed to ask him a favor.

"Where can I see Eve?" I asked.
The expression on his face changed like he was shocked.

"You know her?" He asked.

"Yes, she's been cleaning my room for some days now." I said. When the expression didn't change, I had to make him relax a bit.

"She's very diligent in her work and I like her person. Want to say goodbye and tell her thank you before leaving tomorrow." I added.

He relaxed his looks and smiled at me. Maybe he had thought I wanted to make an official complaints or something.

"She works the east blocks and I'm sure she's on duty because I've seen her earlier." He said.

"East blocks?" I asked.

"Yes, the rooms that way." He said, pointing towards a part of the hotel.

"If she's on duty, she will be at the staff common room down there." He said.

"I can reach her on the intercom if you want." He volunteered.

"No need for that, I will find my way to her." I replied.

That was a lot of useful information. I thanked him, payed for the drink, tipped him some money and walked out.

"Your drink!" He called at me as I was making a move towards the east-side.

"I hate spirits!" I said and watched the look on his face change to its default settings.

---------

I moved towards the east wing of the hotel. I kept walking around like a lost customer until I saw a map on the wall, indicating I was heading to a restricted area for hotel staff only. The end of the passage showed another section of the hotel marked out of bounds. The info on the wall indicated it was the Laundry room, kitchen and common room.

I could hear some noise and clattering of plates from the kitchen; and more laughters coming from another part of the condoned area. I sat on the chair inside the corridor and waited.

I didn't wait long until someone came out of the restricted area. She was surprised as she stopped abruptly in front of me.

"Sir, this is a restricted area." She said.

"Sorry, but I want to see Eve." I said, wondering if I would have to tell another lie before I will see her.

"Eve?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Is anything the problem?" She quizzed me once more.

Well, she was a girl and would understand a guy would do insane things for a girl he's lusting after so I played the love-struck card.

"I know this is against hotel rules but I need to see her and tell her some things that is burning inside me." I said.

She looked at me like she was beginning to understand.

"Are you lodged here sir?" She asked.

"Yes, saw her once at the hotel entrance and can't take my mind off her since then."

"Please just tell her I'm waiting for her here." I said.

She stared at me for some few seconds.
"Stay here." She finally said as she turned back towards the restricted area.

Moments later, one of the attendants walked past me. I knew she was staring at me but maintained an innocent face. She got to the end of the corridor, turned and went back to the restricted area. Noah had to send a raven and a dove after the flood to make sure the coast was clear before exiting the ark. The raven had come, I was expecting the dove.

Eve came herself. I stood as she walked across to where I was seated. She was wearing her duty rope, still as beautiful and charming as ever.

"Its you again!" She proclaimed as she got close enough.
"You will end up getting me sacked!" She said with a firm voice.

"I'm sorry, but I needed to see you." I said.

"What for?" She queried.

Then the 'dove' came out; another attendant walking towards us, staring at us as she walked past. I waited until she got to the end of the corridor, turned and walked past us again into the restricted area.

"Is there someplace else we can stay and talk apart from this place?" I asked.

She looked at me like she was getting soft: maybe she believed the tale the other attendant told her, maybe she believed I was there because I was really tripping for her.

Or was I?

I didn't have the luxury of dueling on both at the same time but if I needed that favor from her, I need to make her believe I was seriously into her.

"Just give me some minutes, is that too much to ask for?" I continued.

She looked at her wrist watch and back to me. It was obvious she was uneasy where we both were.

"I will be free from nights duty in the next 10mins, wait for me at the lawn-tennis court" She said.

"Were is that?" I asked.

She smiled at me.

"If you want to see me like you said, you will find the place." She said and walked away.

Just then, the next attendant walked towards us. This isn't a dove or raven again; I'm sure the parrots have started looking for gossip to repeat.
I took my leave before the 'parrot' could come closer.

I went to the atm machine for the withdrawals. The machine was paying 1000 naira bills so I decided to make the full daily withdrawal of 120k on each account. Two bundles and half was a lot more comfortable in my pocket, although the bulge would be obvious to someone who would look closely enough. I deleted the messages and left the machine.

I asked one of the attendants where the court was and was directed to the courts. It was deserted and only a few people sat at a corner, smoking and drinking. I sat and waited patiently.

When she came, she had removed her work cloth and wore her casual wears.

"You found the place?" She teased as she came to where I was seated.

"You need to see the stress I went to before finally discovering this place." I joked and she laughed.

"You've given my colleagues something to talk about for the rest of the year." She said.
I knew that was why the raven, dove and parrot kept hovering over me. They wanted to see this 'love-struck' guy themselves.

"How did you find me?" She asked.

"I asked around. I really needed to see you." I answered. She was staring at me. I knew she had lots of questions in her mind: especially the fact I was fvcking an elder lady inside the hotel room.

"When I am done with this fake life I am in, I need something real...as real as you." I said to her.

"And when will you be done with the fake life?" She asked.

"Tomorrow, I get to enjoy the last of the fake life. After that, the fake life will be gone and I will be as fresh as new."

She stared at me like it was hard to believe.

"I want you Eve." I said to her and caught her blush.

"Why are you living the fake life if you know you wanted something real?" She asked, still eager to discuss the lady.

"They say when the desirable is not available, the available seem desirable. But right now, the available has led me to the desirable and I'm certain I don't need the fake again."

"I want you Eve!" I said again. She looked away, like she was meditating on the entire scenario.
I moved closer to her and held her hands.
"Don't let me continue with the fake life." I said with a pleading tone in my voice. Even I was impressed by my show! Been long I 'toasted' a girl and I was beginning to feel I was out-of-game until this night. It was obviously working.

"I don't know." She said.

"I know its quite a lot to take in at the moment but I've thought about it myself and I'm convinced it is you I want."

"How are you so sure?" She asked.

O'boy! This was going to take longer than I had anticipated. Seems I was really out-of-the game like I had thought.

"Because I won't be doing this if I wasn't sure! I wouldn't be risking a fake life for a new one if I wasn't sure." I said.

"Its you Eve, its you!" I tried to assure her.

"You need to purge yourself of the old fake life first before the new life you seek. After that, we can see how it goes." She said.

"Does it mean you're willing to give it a trial?" I asked with a fake smile on my face.

She smiled back at me. "I said we will see how it goes." She replied still smiling.

I reached over and kissed her lightly on the lips. "I will be cleansed of the fake life, and I will come for you." I said.

"That's better." She concurred.

I stood and made to leave.

"I wish I can spend the night with you here, but my old fake life needs to be sorted out once and for all." I said.

She looked up at me like she was sad I was leaving. After a split second, I sat down back.

"There's something that tied me to the fake life and I need you to help me break it." I said.

"What is that?" She asked with eyes lite up, like she was willing to help out free me from the old life.

"Do you trust me?" I asked.

"I believe you're honest." She said.

"I already took this decision the morning you came to clean the room." I said to her.

"Remember the morning I asked you to leave one of the toiletry carton for me?" I asked her.

"Yes, and I thought you were crazy." She answered with a smile on her face.

"That was when I decided I was going to end the fake life. I have placed every bloody thing that makes me want to continue the old life inside that carton." I said.

"Really? What did you do with the carton?" She asked.

"No, not yet. Its in the bathroom, and I want to get rid of it." I said.

"That's simple, throw them into the trash can." She said, smiling like she just solved the world's biggest crime.

"Not that simple." I said.

"Why?" She asked.

"Do you know why people burn stuffs on 31st night?" I asked her.

"Yes, to chase the old year away and usher the new year." She answered.

"Yes, you are right. It is believed that when you burn stuffs, you burn away stuffs you don't need in the new year. Since most of those stuffs aren't physical, you end up burning anything physical and hope the flames still consume the failures and disappointments of the previous year." I informed her.

She paused and thought about it, like I was beginning to make sense.

"So you want to burn away the stuffs?" She asked.

"Yes. Tomorrow is 30th, that's the last of my fake life. By 31st mid-night, I will be burning that carton with everything inside it and I want you to be there with me when I burn it." I told her.

"Wow! That's great, I'm not going to be on duty by 31st night." She announced to me with excitement in her voice.

"Great! So we will burn my old and fake life on 31st night, and usher in a brand new life together with you for the new year!" I proclaimed and she laughed out loud.

"What exactly is inside the carton you are burning?" She asked after the excitement had died down.

"Stuffs I'm not proud of; some gifts I got courtesy of my old life; some intimate stuffs I'm not really... proud...proud of." I said, breaking my voice like I was sober.

She nodded her head like she understood; or she didn't want to probe further maybe not to hurt me.

"I need you to help me evacuate it from the bathroom of the hotel room." I said to her. She stared at me confused so I had to persuade her.

"After tomorrow, I will be leaving the fake and old life and won't have access to that room again, I need you to help me move it before then." I said and prayed she sees a meaning to the explanation.

"I'm not on duty at that part of the hotel tomorrow." She said.

"You can swap with whoever is on duty there; is that not allowed here?" I asked.

"It is, I just have to find out who is on duty." She said.

"Thank you very much. The carton is inside the drawer at the bathroom." I said.

She stared at me like she was thinking it through once more.

"Help me burn my old and fake life away, please." I pleaded, putting on a charming and innocent face.

"Of course we will burn it together." She said.

"And please, the content is embarrassing to me; promise me you won't open it until we burn it together." I asked.

"I won't." She said innocently.

I bent over and kissed her. This time around, she responded. We kissed for some minutes before we broke away from each other.

"I have to go back to the fake life for now." I said as I saw the look of emotions in her eyes.

"One more day!" I said, with my left hand on my chest and my right hand raised up like I was swearing an oath.

She smiled and responded.
"One more day."

We exchanged numbers and I returned to the room; only to meet the widely awake lady in the room, staring at me and her phone in my hand.

With phone in my hand, ATM card and cash in my pocket I stood like a condemned criminal, tied on a stake awaiting a command for the soldiers in waiting to riddle his body with bullets.

I stared at her blankly as she stared back at her phone in my arms. What was I going to say I was doing with her phone? Did she notice the missing atm card also? Was this the end of my end of year adventure? I took a quick glance at her handbag lying carelessly open at the floor. It looked exactly like I left it.

Then her phone rang in my hand. I still held on to it while it rang.

"Where did you go with my phone?!" She queried as she sprang up to recover her phone from me. I handed it to her and made to explain but it was obvious she was not interested in my explanation. She had picked the call already and started talking on the phone.

"Hey babe!" She continued. "Missing mama?"

"Don't worry dear, I will be back tomorrow...how is aunty Dee?..."

I concluded she was speaking with her daughter. She was so engrossed with the call and didn't notice when I moved and sat at the other end of the bed close to the bag. I replaced the atm inside the side-zip of the bag and headed into the bathroom.
I moved to the cabinet and brought out the carton. I opened it and saw rolls of tissue paper, tubes of cream, light make-up, soaps and the other usual things stuffs inside.
My first thought was that she had offloaded the cash and replaced it with the toiletries.
Then I remembered I had switched the cartons and moved the cash carton to the drawer of the wall mirror. I smiled at myself, relieved that the cash was still intact.
I brought out the cash-carton and opened it. The wards of cash were still intact. I added the night's withdrawal into the carton and closed it; this time around, I folded the edges in my bid to seal it. It looked good.

"Where did you go with my phone?" The lady asked after receiving her call.

I told her my phone's battery had died down since I didn't come with my charger so I used her phone to check my mails.

She stared at me for some seconds like she didn't believe me.

"Outside?" She asked.

"Yes, I needed a drink so I went to the reception hall."

She stared at the phone on the bed and back to me.

"Was that your daughter?" I had decided not to ask personal question but right now, anything to end this heated interrogation was a welcome development.

"Yes!" She answered with an excited look.
"She's missing her mama and her aunty Dee doesn't let her watch the tv." She said with another douse of excitement like she was really thrilled.

"Can I see her pictures?" I asked and she waved that I come closer.

I lay beside her on the bed as she scrolled through her media files. Unending pictures of she and her beautiful daughter. At first I pretended to be interested in the pix but it later caught my attention. They were lovely pix, exhibition of the undying bond between mother and daughter.

"Her name is Mimi" she informed me.

"Lovely name." I added.

"She's adorable, intelligent, smart and full of life." She continued.

"My friend seem to be interested in you." She announced to me, referring to her ph-city lady.

"I have my good charms." I teased and she smiled.

"She love adventures too." She said.

"Are you advertising your friend to me?" I teased again trying not to make the conversation serious. I came for adventure and not to be passed on like a tool.

"You don't like her?" She asked.

"She's married, I don't do married ladies." I answered, hoping it will end the discussion.

"And me?" She asked.

"What about you? You're not married are you?" I asked, making a surprise face.

"Babies don't fall down from heaven, do they?" She asked.
I looked at her face and she feigned seriousness; then burst out in laughter. I was still confused at what was making her laugh.

"You need to see the look on your face, like you just ate shit!" She said and I smiled.

"You're not married, are you?" I asked.

"Does that change anything?" She responded.
I felt she wasn't ready to answer my question so I let it be.

We had few more rounds of sex before retiring for the night.

____________

In the morning, I kept my fingers crossed, hoping and praying that Eve succeeded in swapping duties and takes care of the carton for good. There was over half a million naira already inside the carton.

Then she came in. I had to hide the excitement in my face before I betray our little plan. She came in with her trolley as usual and headed straight to the bathroom. The lady and I were still on top of the bed; she surfing her phone while I waited.
Moments later, Eve moved out from the bathroom with the trolley. She did some little work in the room, dropped fresh bedsheets and left.

My half a million naira finally moved to safety!

Or so I thought!

My mind was a lot settled having solved the riddle of the carton-cash. I had a more fulfilled day with the lady. When it got boring sitting indoors and fvcking, she asked that we go shopping so she gets stuffs she'll be going back to Abj with. I obliged and we spent the next few hours shopping.

Later in the night, we headed to the cinema to see the Exodus: Lords and Kings. Having watched the trailer sometime ago, I was full of expectations but got disappointed after seeing the movie; wasn't as hot as I had hoped from the trailer.

"Make this night special for me." She whispered into my ears as we set in for her final night. She had already informed her ph-city friend to come pick her up for the airport the next morning.

I made the night special for her, giving her a special sex she would not forget in a hurry. The bed seemed too small to contain her as I patted her legs and buried my tongue in between them. I did a special tongue-cleansing session for her clit and had her clutching to the sheets to keep her from falling off the edge of the bed. It was like controlling a big ship using 'the small tongue'. She responded to every tickle I gave her clit with such passion. I started fingering and licking her simultaneously and she moaned loudly at the double waves of pleasure hitting her. Moments later, she was filling my hands with her cum. I let her relax a bit as I cuddled her, then we started rounds of hardcore sex which lasted us through the night. When we finally got through, I couldn't keep my eyelids open. I was drained physically, mentally and maybe spiritually! She was saying something about early in the morning but I didn't pay much attention. I slept off.

I was woken up the next morning to the sounds of clatter of water in the bathroom. Moments later, the lady rushed out of the bathroom and started dressing.

"My friend is waiting downstairs." She announced as she saw me awake. I must have slept deep into the morning. She was already dressing and staring at me on the bed.

"I had a lovely stay." She said.

"Good, I had my fair of adventure too." I replied; I wanted to add 'and crime' but swallowed the thought. No need counting my chics yet until they hatch; and right now, they are being incubated inside a safe carton somewhere. The thought of the over half a million cash inside the carton thrilled me once more.
What if Eve opens the carton and sees the cash? Will she freak out? Will she figure out I just robbed an innocent lady? What if she ran-off with the cash? She didn't look like the crime type, nor the adventure type either. Looks a lot innocent and naïve. But we all know looks can be quite deceptive. I prayed for the best; expecting the worst.

"Thanks for everything, and I will be expecting you in Abj pretty soon." The lady interrupted my thoughts, bent over and pecked my chics.

"And please, feel free to fvck my friend if she looks your way again." She added with a laugh.

"I'll pass, no married women!" I insisted.

As a rule of thumb, I had decided long ago to stay-off married women. I had a terrible adventure that went bad; and when I thought it was bad enough, it got worse.
Anyway, a liar and a killer still ends up as sinners; so it shouldn't be a plus for me; but the wahala isn't one I can bear again.

"Dress up, we have to run along. I need to check out and sort my bills." She said to me as she reached for her bags.

"Am I going with you?" I asked.

"Don't you want to?" She asked.

I would have loved to find Eve immediately but decided to see her off to the airport first. No need for rush. Just as we were about to leave the room, the hotel staff to clean our room that morning entered with her usual trolley. She dressed just like Eve; same robes, same courtesy, just a difference in name. She had Emily as her name tag.

I joined the lady and the ph-city lady to the airport. We waited until she sorted out her ticket before leaving. It was a silent drive back to ph city from the airport. The lady asked that we hook up later that evening but I told her I love spending my 31st night at the church. It was the perfect excuse to get her off my tail. She dropped me off at my friend's place.
___________________

By 10pm when I knew Eva would be done for her duty that day, I called her up. She was sounding tired when she picked the call. She informed me she had just finished a tedious 18hr long duty and needed to sleep.

"Can we see tomorrow morning?" She asked.

"No dear, remember the 31st night ritual?" I asked, hoping she will see enough reason to bring my carton.

"Oh that! I will burn it for you then." She replied.

Burn what!

Did she just say she will help me burn a box of half a million naira?!?!

"No, you can't do that!" I exclaimed over the phone.

"Why? You asked me to help you burn your old fake life, isn't it what this is about?" She asked surprised.

"I know, but I need to do this myself." I had to be careful not to make her suspicious; that is if she wasn't suspicious already.

"So tell me about your day." I said, trying to warm her up a bit. I listened as she talked endlessly about how hectic her day was. I feigned interest and endured through it all.

"You need to rest; we will hook up later tonight." I said and she agreed.

An hour later, she called to inform me there had been some developments. She said a colleague of hers just reported sick and their supervisor was trying to swap her to do the duty. She sounded very angry, saying she was sure the colleague lied about her health and that she was sure she's faking it all.
I felt it was going to be impossible to see her that 31st night. I had almost given up but an hour and half later she called and informed me she was done with her duty and was about leaving the hotel. I was too delighted to ask how she managed to pull it off but instead, prepared to meet her.

We were to meet at an eatery close to my place. I chose the eatery as a matter of convenience. I still hadn’t drawn up a plan yet on how to convince her we shouldn’t burn the carton. What would be her reaction when she sees the contents? Was I even going to allow her see it? Seeingt i would be absurd. I decided to let the events take care of themselves; one thing was sure: no one is going to burn my half a million “hard-earned” money!

It didn’t take her long to locate the eatery. She looked exhausted and I had this feeling she was struggling to stay focused. She carried a fancy polythene bag with contents of what I presumed to be the carton. I was delighted.

“how do you do?” I asked as we settled, trying to hide my excitement on the baggage she was carrying.

“Tired! Exhausted!” she exclaimed. Then went on and on about how the hotel was filled to capacity and everyone had to be on their toes to attend to them and do their job.

“Only for that silly Emily to claim she was sick and head home!” she added.

“Emily?” I asked. The name rang a bell. I was sure I had seen one of the attendants with that name tag; either the dove, raven or parrot.

“Yes! She was fine in the morning, only to come back from room-cleaning and lie that she was feeling sick and needed to go.” She continued.
It was obvious she needed someone to talk to and let off the steam, so I listened to her boring tale with patience.

“I too told them I was on medication and couldn’t work more than 12 hours!” she informed me with a smile like she was proud of her desceptive bravery. I guess that was how she was able to convince them to let her go.

I asked what she would take but she declined; like she wanted to get it over with and head home.

“I can do this alone by myself if you’re too tired.” I asked, hoping she would hand over the baggage and head home. She stared at the baggage, stared at me, and back to the baggage like she was contemplating.

“No, I promised to be there with you when you burn the old life, we’ll do this together.” She said. “Moreover, I will love to see what is inside the bag.” She added like an afterthought.

“Alright then, lets go.” I stood and we left the restaurant.

“Where are we going?” she asked.

“My place isn’t far from here.” I replied. My friend had gone for the all night in his church. If I play my cards right, I may just have the best of the out-going 2014; half a million cash and a lovely ar’se to rock.
She threw her exhausted self on the bed as we got into the house, exposing a huge part of her laps in the process. Then she rolled on the bed to face me.

“Are you done with the old fake life now?” she asked.

“Yes, old things have passed away, all things are become new.” I replied and she smiled.

“Tell me more about yourself.” She requested. Here was I, thinking she was damn too tired to maintain a stare. I told her bits about myself, skipping a whole lot of details. By the time I was done, her head was resting on my shoulders on the bed.

I didn’t need any other invitation before I started caressing her. Without any hesitations coming from her, I took that as consent and probed further. Bleep [Details coming up later...]
_______________

“Can I use the bathroom?” She asked after we were done having wild sex.

“Of course.” I replied and she left for the bathroom.

This was the opportunity I had been waiting for me. It will take her minimum of 120seconds to finish whatever she wanted to do at the bathroom. It will give me the needed time to offload the cash inside the carton and fill the carton with my briefs, pants, singlets and any other thing I could lay my hand on.

I moved fast; reached for the nylon bag, opened it and brought out the carton. I rushed to the wardrobe and brought out two singlets, I couldn’t see my briefs so I used my friend’s boxers and few other things my hands could reach. I placed them on the bed beside the carton.
There was no sign of her coming out so I took my time. Took a deep breath and relaxed. Moment of truth. I felt my heart beat faster. I was really excited. I could easily think about a whole lot of things to do with half a million naira. I marveled at my exploits. Adventure is fun; adventure with a bit of crime is the big deal. I smiled at myself and assured myself I was going to write a story about this. I could imagine lots of people reading and smiling at the adventure and exploits. It would make a good read. I thought about the title I could give it; I could title it Adventures at Hotel Presidential; or PH Adventure; I decided that whatever the title would be, it will be a great read. But it needed an ending, and the ending was inside the carton on top of the bed. Half a million naira waiting to be opened.

Then I proceeded to open it.
I loosened the ends and opened the cap of the carton. Inside the dimly light room, I overturned the carton, emptying all its contents ontop of the bed.

What I saw gave me the shock of the year!
___________________________

I kept staring at it like it was hard to believe. Of course it was not hard to believe; I had seen those contents before. I was still in a state of shock and unbelief.

What happened?

Why this?

What went wrong?

A lot of questions rushed through my mind of which the answers I couldn’t tell. Only one person has the answers to the question.
The sound from the toilet indicated it was just flushed. I moved my gaze from the bed and its unsatisfactory contents towards the toilet door, waiting for it to open. My answers are definitely going to come from Eve. She has a lot of explaining to do.

“Are you ready?” she asked as she walked into the room.

She maintained her stare at me while I looked away and focused at the contents on the bed.

“Are those…did you just bring those out from the carton?” she asked almost exclaiming. I took some time to study her face; it showed sign of genuine surprise. Was she faking it? Was she totally ignorant?

“Did you make me steal these from the hotel room and have me carry it all day?” she asked again, with a look of disappointment written all over her face.

I was tempted to believe her but decided not to be naïve. Girls can be deceptive; who knows if she was feigning it all.

“This was not what I asked you to bring!” I said firmly, trying so hard to control the anger and disappointment brewing inside me.

“What!” she asked.

“What do you mean?” She asked again.

I stared at her face for some more seconds then slumped on the bed.

“Is this what you brought out from the bathroom?” I asked, hoping to hear a different response but knowing deep down in my hear that the answer will not change.

Scattered all over my bed, were the contents of a hotel issued toiletry; 2 pieces of tissue paper, tubes of cream, liquid soap, shower-cap, face-towel, light-sponge…

*THE END

Epilogue

“What was in the carton you wanted me to bring out?” Eve asked me later that night.

I had been sober for the better part of the night; sober and quite. I was trying to figure out what went wrong but none of the explanations I thought of tend to stick.

Was it possible that the lady finally discovered the contents of the carton and emptied the cash before I woke up that morning? Was this her way of having the last laugh? Proving to me that truly, a dozen of my kind couldn’t rob her?

Did Eve empty my carton and replace it with toiletries? This could be a better explanation. She had been with the carton for the better part of the day. Nothing would have stopped her from taking a peep. And if she did take a peep, it will take the grace of God for her to see half a million naira and not try to have it to herself.

I kept thinking, trying to solve the equation; only that there were many variables!

“What was inside the carton?” she asked again.

“Some stuffs like I told you.” I managed to respond, still deep in thought.

“This was the only carton inside the cabinet and I just dropped it inside my locker since morning.” She said. “I haven’t even got the time to look at it since…”

Then it dawned on me. Did she just say cabinet?

“You picked it from where?” I asked.

“From the cabinet like you directed.” She replied, looking more confused.

“The cabinet!”

I remembered I had moved the cash from the cabinet to the drawer by the mirror on the wall. I took a look at the contents again and it became clear; no condoms in the carton! I had removed the condoms from the carton after the sex with the lady inside the bathroom. Eve must have picked the wrong carton. One piece of the equation solved.

“What is it? You are scaring me.” She said, looking uncomfortable.

“The carton was inside the mirror drawer and not inside the wall cabinet!” I announced to her. She looked relieved; maybe she thought I would be, but I wasn’t. one more piece of the equation needed to be solved.

“Is there anyway I can still get it since it is still there?” I asked.

“still where?” she asked. “That room must have been allocated to someone else because the hotel was over-filled today.” She announced to me.

She went on to explain that before any room would be given to a new customer, there always is a complete clean-up and overhaul of the room. All the details are checked first to ensure the previous customer didn’t spoil anything, then a thorough clean-up is done.
Someone else must have taken the carton. I thought to myself. I smiled as I realized it was all over. I had sweated for another person to reap the rewards. What an adventure!

“I was supposed to clean that room tomorrow and next.” She announced.

“Why?” I wondered why she was telling me this.

“It was Emily’s duty, but since she said she was sick, they wanted to push the work to me.” She replied.

“Emily!?” I asked, almost yelling on the process. I remembered her now, the girl with the name tag that came to clean the room in the morning of our checking out.

“Yes, whats the problem?” she asked.

“The sick girl that had to leave?” I asked again.

“Yes, but I am sure she was just faking sickness.” She said once more.

“Of course she was faking it!” I replied with a broad smile.
Now I had succeeded in solving the second piece of the equation; the last variable may never be solved.

MaziOmenuko:
^^ one of my favorite writers.

Hibiscuss:


Excuse me Mr, am sorry to disturb you. I was going through one of your earlier threads...NYSC stuff...all I saw their are comments by people and your main gists are missing. Did you delete it yourself or what happened to them.

If there's any link that can direct me there, plz kindly share.

Thanks.

MaziOmenuko:


I removed some of the updates because the work was being bastardized all over the internet. I will point you to another link when I'm done transferring them.