First of all, lets meet the major characters

STORY TITLE: CUPID'S RISK

THE MAJOR CHARACTERS

IPHEY: A 25 years old lady who recently moved to Lagos from Port Harcourt with a new job in Diamond Bank. She is quiet and a 'good' girl.

CHINEDU: Iphey's love interest. They were introduced and met through a blind date where he confessed his hell-raising past. Since then it has been one rocky patch after the other as they try to negotiate a relationship that works for them.

AISHA: Iphey's best friend who linked her up with Chinedu. She is married and wants Iphey to be settled too.

NGOZI: Iphey's older sister. She is married but her husband has been missing for the past three years. She plays the role of a single parent to her asthmatic son.

MAMA IPHEY: Iphey's mum. She is of the meddling and match-making type. She gets on Iphey's last nerves with marriage queries but is a pillar of support for both Iphey and Ngozi.

TJ: Aisha's husband.

JAMES: Ngozi's missing husband. It has been shown that he actually abandoned his family due to financial woes. He has decided to keep away despite Iphey's pleas to return.
OBI: Iphey's six years old nephew and Ngozi's son.

HABIB: Aisha's brother and also a close friend to Chinedu. He works as an officer in the EFCC.

BISI: Iphey's colleague at work. She pretends to be a friend while doing only what benefits her interest in the office without regard whether it affects Iphey negatively.

FUNMI: Iphey's immediate boss. She is jealous and uses Iphey's inexperience on the job to get back at her. She is on very good terms with Bisi and colludes with her to harass Iphey.

AYO: The branch manager at Iphey's office. He does not hide his hots for Iphey and this makes his previous lover, Funmi, even madder at Iphey.

TUNDE: Another work colleague of Iphey.

OTUNBA: A suitor who starts courting Ngozi, Iphey's sisters a couple of years after the disappearance of her husband. Their mother does not like him.

ALHAJI GALADIMA: Chinedu's benefactor. A police officer who works with informants willing to give details of criminal activities.

GBENRO: An informant and former colleague of Chinedu while he lived a dangerous life.

DABARU: An Ajegunle gang boss. Chinedu's former leader in criminal activities.

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1: The Story begins

Iphey got back from work that day sweating heavily and knew she was going to be very late for her date. It had been a hot and humid day and she had been caught in the rush hour traffic returning home from the office. She now rushed about her apartment like a headless chicken putting her stuff together for the date when her phone rang. “Hello?” She panted struggling into a deep purple skirt. “Hello, my daughter is that you?” It was her mum's voice. “Yes mum, it's me.” she replied with a bitten off, “who else could be answering my phone?” under her breath. “I just heard from your sister. Her son is in crisis again and they are at the hospital.” Her heart sank and the wind was knocked out of her sails. She had thought this was one of those her mum's infrequent marriage badgering calls. The sister her mum mentioned was her elder sister who had a 6 years old asthmatic son. He had often got this sort of crises during this period but it had seemed to subside in the past year. However, this was the second within the same month this year. “Mum, I have to go out this evening and I‟m already running late. I'll call her when I get back and give you feedback later OK?” “That's fine, talk to you later dear. Take care of yourself and be careful.” Yes mum,” she replied as she pressed the end button. She wanted to continue getting ready but the “be careful” from her mum got her thinking of the stormy events at the office today.

2: The Date

She had just returned from seeing one of her clients about an overdraft facility he wanted on his account, and was walking back to her office when her manager beckoned her into her office. Funmi gestured to a seat. “Good morning, Iphey. Please shut the door - this won't take long.” Iphey sat down, wondering what was up; she got on reasonably well with her, so she couldn't figure out why she sounded unusually curt. Her apprehension mounted as Funmi went on to talk about the unprofessionalism she said she had observed in Iphey's work, and how she preferred to let her know about it first rather than writing a query. Iphey was quite shocked; she tried to ask her to be more specific, but Funmi cut her off, saying that she had said everything she wanted to say. Iphey responded by emphatically stating that Funmi was being unfair in not giving her a fair hearing, and things went rapidly downhill from there. The encounter left her really rattled, she was certain that there was more it that met the eye. “Best not to think too much about it”, she muttered to herself. After all, there was this date to look forward to. Her friend, Aisha had been pestering her forever to go out with this friend of her brother's. She wasn't exactly filled with confidence; the last person that Aisha had recommended had not turned out so well. She‟d almost refused, but Aisha pleaded that this guy was really good. The truth was she doubted that Aisha even knew the kind of person she wanted. Iphey sighed as she put finishing touches to her makeup and prepared to step out of her flat. Aisha had to persuade her this time, but only after she swore never, ever to trouble her with her randomly picked blind dates if this didn't work out.
She had also agreed because of the impression she had got when her date called to set up the time and venue. He had appeared charming, intelligent and well-spoken - definitely no red flags. He seemed a bit reticent to give more information about himself, though. All she knew was that his name was Chinedu, and he “ran an engineering business”. Well, at the very worst, it sounded like she might have a more interesting time going out than staying in, even if nothing happened. ****************** The skies were already darkening when she stepped out of the cab in front of the restaurant that they'd agreed to meet at. She looked around, wondering if he might be waiting outside, but she didn't see anyone who looked like they might be him. Maybe I'll have more luck inside, she thought as she walked in. Again, she scanned the dark interior. “Is he late?” she wondered aloud. She hoped not; one of her pet peeves was people who disrespected others by not keeping to time. “No, he's not. In fact, he's been watching you since you entered, and he's quite impressed by what he's seen,” she heard a voice say in the same deep baritone she had heard on the phone. She turned round, startled, and saw someone who looked to be in his early thirties, of average height, a bit slim and medium complexioned. He smiled at her and continued, “Sorry for the unusual introduction... I shouldn‟t have chosen a table out of sight, but I usually find the view outside the window provides interesting things to talk about. I don't think that will apply this evening, my eyes will be taken up with a much more beautiful spectacle.” She smiled back. “Thank you, Chinedu - that's a very nice compliment.” He led her to her

3: Office Politics: It's complicated ...

“Cucku-roo-koo!” 6 am, and the cock had barely finished crowing as Iphey walked into the bank premises. „Click-click-click‟ as her heels hit the concrete. Truth was, Iphey was nervous about meeting with her boss Funmi again, which was why she was at the office early to take a closer look at her work. She had no idea what she could have done. Funmi had called her „unprofessional‟. Why? She couldn‟t think of a reason. Since she started at this bank, she has consciously been professional about everything. She hurried to her desk in the common office and began shuffling through files and to-do lists making sure she had left no stones unturned. As she began to work, she turned on some music to keep her company. She had another hour or so to herself before the first set of bankers began to arrive. The crooning voice of Michael Buble will work wonders to calm her nerves. “..Somehow I know that it‟ll all turn out, You'll make me work so we can work to work it out, And promise you kid, I'll give so much more than I get, mmmm....I just haven't met you yet..” she sang to herself, bobbing her head to the music. “Well I have certainly met you.” A voice said behind her. Startled she dropped the file she was holding. “Oh I didn‟t mean to startle you” It was the bank manager. Her bosses‟ boss, Ayo. “Oh its not problem sir. I wasn‟t expecting anyone to be here. I‟ll just turn the music off”. She replied. She was a little uncomfortable being in the same room with him. “Ah, but I didn‟t ask you to turn it off.” “No, its ok. I will turn it off. I have to run to the basement anyways.”
“Why are you avoiding me, eh Iphey?” “Ah no it‟s nothing sir.” She got up to put the files away. As she walked by him, he grabbed her by the waist and held her close to him. “I don‟t bite.” he whispered in her ear. “Ahem!” A voice said behind them. It was Tunde, her colleague. She hurriedly released herself from Ayo's grip. “I will see you later, OK Iphey?” He smiled at them both. “Good morning Tunde.” “Good morning sir,” Tunde eyed their boss as he strolled out. “There is nothing going on, before you start to accuse me abeg!” Iphey began defending herself. “Have I said anything?” Tunde laughed in her face. He ran a finger down Iphey‟s arm and caught her palm in a lingering handshake. “Now if only you will agree my own….” He let the words hang and then turned away. “See you at lunch?” He smiled on his way to his office on the other side of the hall. He was in marketing where as she was in clearing operations. Oh lawd. Why did she attract all these men? Chinedu, Ayo and now Tunde. The latter was her friend but he would get her in trouble soon if he didn't stop. Tunde had just gotten engaged but would not stop his flirting with all the girls in the bank especially her. Other staff began to arrive including those who shared her office and they all settled down to the day's grind. Knock knock! She spun on her seat. It was Funmi. “Meet me in my office in 10”. Great. The day just got worse, Iphey muttered under her breath. She tidied her desk, as she got ready to head over to Funmi‟s office. What could I have done? She wondered to herself trying to figure out what it was. As she approached Funmi‟s office, she heard voices, so she stood outside waiting. “Why did you call this meeting Funmi?” “This girl is not doing her work Ayo! Her work is sub standard, not up to par. She nee

4: Get out of my dreams.

“What?!” Iphey spluttered. She could have sworn that she just heard her supervisor tell the entire operations staff and their managers that the procurement schedule template would be available at the armed robber meeting. “I said it would be available at the advisory board meeting,” Funmi spat at her. “Yes ma,” Iphey responded, suddenly finding something very important in her notebook. She wiped at a bead of sweat that wasn‟t there, trying to relax. She passed her notebook to Bisi who was seated next to her, “Please, help me take notes. I‟d be right back,” she whispered and she excused herself. She didn‟t exhale till she had shut the bathroom door behind her. “Oh dear, I‟m losing my mind!” she said to the empty bathroom with her hand on her chest. She walked up to the sink, and washed her hands though they weren‟t dirty. The running water provided some kind of solace. It started when Funmi called on the intercom at about 10am, asking for a client‟s armed robber, which was actually the client‟s asset report. She felt like her mind was playing tricks on her. It had been a few days since she met with Chinedu, and she thought she had wiped him off her mind; only, to wake up this morning and find him sleeping peacefully next to her. She screamed and then woke up, and realized that the first wake-up sequence was only a dream. She didn‟t understand why this thing with Chinedu bothered her so much. After all he'd said it was in the past. Could it be that this hit so close to home because she refused to accept she was attracted to him? The finely chiselled frame of his face fluttered in her head as it had done every so often since her date, and gave her an instant thrill. “But how could someone with such an honest demeanour ever have used a gun in his life?‟ she thought. She shook her head rapidly like it was the proven method of clearing ones thoughts and winced at the headache she gave herself. “OK,” she spoke to the washbasin this time, with new found determination, “I‟ve had enough of this. I have a job to do.” She straightened her empire waist dress in front of the mirror and looked herself straight in the eye. “You can‟t let this worry you. He‟s not important. You‟re probably never going to see him again.” She looked around to ascertain that no one else was in the bathroom, ignoring what it seemed her conscience was saying to her. She didn‟t want to become „office gist‟ for having a nervous breakdown in the bathroom. She pulled open the bathroom door holding her head high with square shoulders, but weary about how far the pep talk she had just given herself would go. * * * She got home that evening and finally decided to return Aisha‟s missed calls. Her friend had tried to reach her non-stop since the night of the date, and she had ignored every one of the calls, because she couldn‟t decide what to tell her. What if her well-meaning friend didn‟t know of Chinedu‟s past? What if it turned out that Aisha‟s brother had a history of armed robbery as well, since they were so close?! Her friend picked up on the second ring and didn‟t bother with the perfunctory pleasantries. “I know what you‟re trying to do,” Aisha started with a tone that made Iphey feel that she was furious, “you want me to drop dead in suspense!” Iphey managed a believable chuckle before responding, “No be so now. I‟ve been busy. How body?” “Body dey as you leave am. No use that

5: She asked didn't she?

The day after the date, Chinedu called his friend Habib, Aisha‟s brother, as he walked to his car after work. Habib picked up after the 6th ring. As he waited for an answer, Chinedu recalled how he stood there staring as Iphey‟s taxi sped off. It wasn‟t hard to figure out what went wrong with the date. Why had he blurted out that he was an armed robber? That was certainly what made Iphey‟s attitude change. “Hello?” “Hey Habib, what‟s cracking with you and where you at?” “Hey „Nedu, am good. What‟s the deal?” Habib answered grudgingly. “What you up to over there „cos you sound like you kina busy or something.” Chinedu asked. “Nothing much dude, just doing some overdue laundry over here at the moment, but I can talk” chimed Habib. “Anyway I had an incident with your sister‟s friend yesterday, the one that she setup with me for the blind date? I think I might have spooked her.” “What happened” Habib asked. “Well, we were just rambling, you know trying to know each other. She insisted I talk about myself, so I thought why not? You remember I told you about the crazy things I did when younger, the stuff with the street gangs that almost destroyed my life. Well I told her that I used to be an armed robber, which isn‟t far from the truth really. Shey you get my drift?” “What did she do?” Habib chuckled. “I think she got the wrong impression. She ended the date before I could go into details or say any other thing.”
“You sef, how you go talk that kain thing? Of course she ran away!” “Well…” Chinedu stuttered. “She asked didn‟t she?” “U don kolo sha! You like the girl abi na to move on be this?” Habib queried. “Well it seems like there might be some potential there…” “Then you need to apologize dude, and in a big way too. Chicks like that sort of thing, like flowers saying you are sorry…” “But dude, did I do anything wrong?” “Then call her and say you were just trying to make conversation.” Habib suggested. “OK. Fine. I will think of something but I‟ll wait till Aisha gets back to me. She was the one that arranged this so I‟m sure Iphey will tell her how it happened and she‟ll come blasting me.” “If you say so…” Habib concurred. “In the mean time, we go still see tomorrow night? “I‟ll meet you at the SWE bar by 10pm if that‟s OK.” Habib was already on his second bottle of Gulder when Chinedu walked in the next day. “My guy why you dey always late?” Habib queried him. “I like to move by night, thought you already knew that?” Chinedu joked and both of them laughed it off. “Yea back to my wahala, Aisha still hasn't called.” Chinedu started after his drink was served. “And I kind of felt a connection between me and Iphey. Just talked to her for an hour and I felt something I have not felt in a while. It was like we had known each other for a long time and were just catching up. Well…until I decided to yield to her and opened my big mouth.” “I have told you that honesty will get you nowhere but you no dey listen.” Habib spat out. “Well you know most people I meet get to hear my life story one way or the other, so this time I decided to bring it up before Iphey hears it somewhere else. Especially because I feel I might have a relationship with her, a very personal one...” “I don‟t like this kain lovey dovey gist,” Habib joked. “Abeg make we change topic… “ “My guy this one serious oo.” Chinedu laughed before he obliged. They hung out again the next day

Space booked

6: Could this be love?

Iphey got out of her car as fast as she could and hurried up the steps of General Hospital Ikeja. In the corridor beyond the nurse‟s station, she saw was a slightly harried, fifty-something year old woman with an arm around a sobbing younger woman. Her heart rose into her throat. It was her mother and sister. Something really was wrong…her nephew had crises all the time…but this time was different. Her sister had a strange…aura around her. She was crying like there was no tomorrow, like all hope was lost. Iphey swallowed. She didn't know how to deal with grief. Her legs suddenly felt like lead, but she managed to lift them one after the other, each step filled with dread. “Mum…Ngoo, what did they say?” she asked, dreading the answer. Her sister looked over and the despair in her eyes cracked Iphey's heart. She reached for her. “Iphey…Iphey…my baby, the doctors…said…he's going to…die,” her voice broke on the last word. “Iphey, what will I do…he's my life…” she sobbed “my life…” She clung like a leech and Iphey could do nothing but cry too and murmur useless soothing words. When she could finally get up, she handed her purse to her mother and went into Obi's ward. He was sleeping so peacefully, but there were so many tubes...It should be illegal for so many tubes to be attached to one small child, Iphey thought angrily, what kind of world is this, where the young die and leave the old? Minutes passed…or was it hours?? Her mother came in and hugged her, offering wordless support. They stood like that for a long time, looking at the boy beneath the sheets, each thinking their own thoughts.
“One Chinedu called,” her mother said. Iphey looked at her mother in shock. “Who?” “Chinedu…the same number called so many times, I decided to pick it. Who is he?” She pulled out of her mother's embrace. “Just someone I met some days ago…” “Anything I should know about?” Should I tell her? Iphey wondered. No, she decided as she put on a smile that didn‟t quite reach her eyes. “Not yet mum, I‟ll let you know if there is.” “You know I want you to settle down soon right?” “I know but not now…” Her mother shrugged. “OK but I told him where you were and that you will call him back later. Anyway, you can go home and have some rest.” Iphey stared. Trust her mother to make all the arrangements. Iphey hugged her without a word and said goodbye to her sister who came back in then. As she drove home, she became depressed and the tears brimmed over again. Her mother had called after her earlier phone conversation with Aisha. When she had not heard from Iphey, her mother had flown in from Port Harcourt to be with her sister in the hospital. Iphey had gone straight over totally ashamed of herself. She had assumed her sister and nephew were back home. She now thought of all Ngozi had been through. First with her husband's mysterious disappearance, and now her son, Obi, was about to die. She prayed that by some miracle, the little boy pulled through this. In her street, she noticed a car parked beside the gate and wondered who it could be. Could it be him? The headlights shone brightly on the figure leaning against the wall. It was Chinedu. Her heart gave a very uncomfortable lurch that had nothing at all to do with her family. She frowned and got out of the car, she really didn‟t need any distraction right now. All she wanted was to crawl into her bed and cry her eyes out, for Ngozi and for Obi. She hoped a brusque dismissal would get him off her case. “What are you doing here?” she asked. “Aisha called me after you both spoke earlier…” he trailed off at the sight of her tears. “Your mother told me about your sister and nephew. Is it very bad…” She raised her hand and halted him. “I don‟t want to talk about it.” “Iphey, I‟m sorry I didn‟t call in the past few days. I wanted to hear from you or Aisha first. I‟ll like to talk to you…” “Can I just go in please?” She tried to move away. Chinedu held her hand. It hurts, he realized. It hurts me that she's hurting. “I left some friends to come over here after speaking with your mother. You can talk to me you know?” Don‟t be nice please, she inwardly pleaded. I can't take it if you're nice. To her utmost horror she began to sob. The sound grabbed his heart and squeezed. He pulled her into his arms while she wept it out. He gathered little from her unintelligible gabbling, but it saddened him the more. He pried the keys from her fingers and opened the door, and then guided her over the threshold. “First you're going to sit down, and then I'm going to get you some water. Where's the kitchen?” “First door to the left,” she sniffed. She loved being babied. He sat her on the couch then he removed her shoes and her jacket. He smiled at the way her eyes widened. “Don‟t worry, that‟s all.” He could guess where her thoughts had gone. He gave her a wink that was absolutely charming…it had her staring stupidly at the door long after he had left the room. Good man, she mused. What could have possessed him to be an armed robber? She fell asleep with the barest hint of a smile on her lips and the slightest frown on her forehead. That was the exact expression Chinedu saw on her face when he came back out. He held the sweating glass in his hand as love budded in his heart for the girl who had fallen asleep with a stranger in her house.

7: Please don't judge me

Chinedu watched her as she slept, taking in the delicately curved lashes, the slight upturn of her nose and her long, tied-back hair. As he did, once again he regretted the reckless streak that had made him tell her that he was an armed robber during their previous encounter. He shrugged; I guess that's just who I am. Iphey stirred and opened her eyes. She sat up with a jerk and looked around. How could she have fallen asleep with a guest in the flat? “Madam, drinks are served.” He bowed with an exaggerated gesture and presented her with the glass. She sat up and took it with a grateful smile. “How long have I been sleeping?” Chinedu smiled back. “Not long enough. After the stress of today, you definitely need some rest. Even your body agrees.” While Iphey drank, her mind turned cartwheels. He was kind and considerate; he was funny; and he was good looking. She did want to like him, but... that history. And how could he be so comfortable and nonchalant about it, too? What exactly had happened to drive him down those darker paths of life? But did she really want to know, anyway? Wasn‟t it her curiosity that had saddled her with the burden of this knowledge? What if he revealed even darker secrets - secrets that made it too difficult to bear the contrast between the person she was getting to like and the person she wanted to keep at a distance? A musky scent intruded into her thoughts as Chinedu settled beside her. “You seem to be a lot better, but it looks like you also have something on your mind.” “Oh… I was still thinking about my nephew… I‟m praying that he‟ll pull through.” Iphey was thankful for the handy smokescreen Obi‟s hospitalization presented to her.
Chinedu nodded. “I completely understand. Was it very shocking to hear the news?” “He‟s had asthma attacks before, but nothing like this…” Her voice trailed off. “I hope he pulls through; in any case, he‟s in good hands now. There‟s not much else we can do except pray”. They sat together for a while, each lost in thought. Iphey broke the silence. “Oh, I feel so bad; you‟ve been so kind. I am a bad host. Can I get you anything?” Chinedu laughed. “This isn‟t a proper visit; I only came over when your mum told me about your nephew's crisis. I've put some Indomie in the microwave for you; otherwise, I'm happy to just talk. Like I said earlier, once I heard from Aisha, I was hoping we could set another date. “ Again, Iphey felt herself torn apart by the self that said “go for it, he‟s a great guy” and the other self that said “watch out, he used to be an armed robber!” The cautionary self won out. “Well, I don‟t know… right now, my mind is not settled enough to think about that.” “I understand, and that‟s why I‟m not asking you for anything immediate. I only want to know if you would like to meet at all.” Seeing her hesitate further, he added “Think about it. You‟ll get the chance to hear about my adventures during my life of crime.” At that remark, all her apprehension boiled over into indignation. “How can you be so callous and talk about it as an adventure, as though you had been on holiday? Don‟t you even feel any remorse?” Chinedu nodded his head. So it was the armed robber thing; he had thought as much. “I regret what I did then, but that doesn‟t mean that I cannot describe some of them as adventures. Or do you want me be to lie about my past to you?” “I‟m not asking you to lie, but please show a sense of shame! Why should I want to hear about the adventures of an armed robber on a date?” Chinedu began to feel irritated; he had meant to bring the issue up in a lighthearted way to diffuse any possible tension, but that sure wasn't working. “OK, I‟m sorry that I‟m not perfect. I‟m sorry that my life has this smear you disapprove of. But at least, one good thing is that if I meet someone who made mistakes and turned their life around, I‟m less likely to judge them harshly.” Iphey was defensive. “I‟m not judging you; I‟m just saying that you shouldn't take it so lightly.” “Really?” Chinedu smiled bitterly. “Avoiding Aisha's calls and not even calling me to say thanks all this while has nothing to do with me being an armed robber before? Do you remember the anger and force with which you responded to the revelation?” Seeing that Iphey had been embarrassed into silence, he continued in a softer tone. “I don‟t blame you; others have judged me before too. I found it wiser to be quiet about my past. Even now, I don‟t tell everyone. I only tell people I‟ve known for long enough to trust. “But sometimes, I take a chance, follow my instincts and tell people who I feel I have strong connection to, even though I‟ve just met them; people who I feel will be willing to listen more and judge less.” He looked into her eyes, and continued. “The trouble is, sometimes, my instincts are wrong.” Chinedu rose and stretched. “It‟s getting late so I must head out.” At the door, he stopped and turned. “My instincts may be wrong sometimes; but somehow, I don‟t think this is one of them. How do I know? Maybe it‟s my instinct telling me.” He smiled wanly and added. “I really hope your nephew makes it out of intensive care. Please let me know if there‟s anything I can do to help. Have a good night, Iphey.” She listened to the door latch slowly, her head bowed in thought. The ping of the microwave brought her out of it.

You don't like completing them..y na

joanee20:
You don't like completing them..y na

Am very sorry fr dah.. . i don't knw why... Buh u can read d stories here> http://www.upmadates.

great work you have here...