Chapter 7: Chapter 7

Udoka sat down quietly on the sofa in the living room with his arms folded across his chest. A plaster stretched across his forehead. Sadness overwhelmed him as he reminisced on the episode with his sister-in-law. His mother walked into the living room to check on him.

“Udo my son, how are you doing?” She patted him on the back.

“I am better,” he said.

“Sorry, my son," she sympathised. "The witch has not heard the last of us. We are going to show her a bitter lesson.”

“Mama, count me out. I am not going to be a party to that.”

“Eh? Udoka, you mean you are going to allow that witch humiliate us like that without a fight?”

“Mama, look at my head,” he said. "Who knows what will happen next if I go.”

“So you are also scared of that witch like your elder brother?”

“Mama, I would advise Brother Theo to handle his marital affair himself.”

“Udoka!”

“Mama, Nkiru is right; she is legally married to our brother. It is only a legal process that can separate them and not force.”

Mama could not believe such comments came from her own son. She turned and beheld Mary at the door eavesdropping.

“You can as well count me out, mama,” Mary said.

“I am now alone in this, is that it?” mama asked. None of her children said a word. “I will not fold my hands. I will see to the end of this fight.”

She walked out on her children.

Paula’s disposition toward Theo had changed since the day he handed her a two hundred and fifty thousand naira cheque to compensate for her loss of job. For the past one week, she had been frequenting Gemini Hotel to keep him company. She offered him lifts and showed him around the metropolis. She noticed his conservative disposition toward her and knew it was because of the misunderstanding they'd had on their first encounter. She thought of ways to thank him for his kind gesture. She had given him the green light for sex a few times, but to her shock, he tactically turned her down on each occasion.

The duo was out at the bar after they had cruised around town. They engaged in a conversation at a table as they shared a glass of wine. There were a few questions she needed to ask him.

“Can I ask this question that has bothered me for some time now?” she sought his consent.

“Yes, you can,” he said without hesitation. He drank from his glass and set it back on the table, readying his mind for her question.

“I noticed you have become so detached.”

“How do you mean?” He gazed at her inquisitively.

“I mean, after that unfortunate incident of our romantic escapade, you have changed all of a sudden.”

“What happened between us that day was a gross mistake,” he gave his opinion. "It could have been avoided.”

“Do you still feel guilty about it?”

“Guilty? Yes, I had emotions I was grappling with, and then you came in with all your intrigues. I had no choice but to fall for it as a consolation for all my worries.”

“In that case I should apologise for intruding your privacy,” she said calmly. “I was misled by the receptionist.”

“You were crazily off guard on that day that I became confused myself.” Chuckling, he swirled his finger around his glass on the table.

“Are you married?” Paula asked.

Theo had least expected that question from her. He managed to conceal his unease with a chuckle. “Married? Do I look like I am a married man?”

“How does a married man look?”

They ended up laughing at their animated talk. Judging from Theo's question, Paula concluded he was not married.

After a nice time at the bar, Paula drove home with Theo in the front passenger seat of her car. They hopped out of the car and walked to the building that housed her apartment.

Paula opened the door, leading him to her living room. “This is where I live.”

Theo's gaze darted around the apartment, observing one or two things about the interior. “This is a nice place.”

She ushered him to a seat. “So what can I offer you coming to my house for the first time?”

“A glass of wine, if you please,” he said in a gesture.

“I will get it.”

She walked to the kitchen to get him the drink, and he busied himself with taking a second—more extensive—look at the apartment. She returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses. She poured a glass for him and another for herself. She sat next to him on the sofa.

“Thank you,” he said.

“You are welcome,” she said.

Theo revealed the latest development to her. “I have finalized everything. By next week the boutique will be ready.”

She broke into a smile, a smile of belief and trust in Theo’s words. “Where is the location of the boutique?”

“It is located somewhere in the metropolis of Abuja. I won’t disclose it to you now. I want it to come as a surprise, but rest assured it is a nice location.” He picked up his glass.

“You never cease to amaze me.”

“I want to make right all the wrongs of the past weeks.”

“And you are not doing badly at all.”

Noticing his glass was almost emptied, she poured him some more drink.

True to his word, Theo handed over the key to a boutique in the Abuja metropolis to Paula at the exact period he'd told her it would be ready. She was spellbound, not knowing what to say to an enigma of a man called Chief Morris Herbert who had touched her life in several ways in a short time. When she was set to say a word, she broke into tears.

“What do you want me to do for you?” she asked her voice overflowing with indebtedness.

“Nothing but to accept my offer as a compensation for your lost job,” he said with smile.

Unable to break out of Theo's spell, Paula gazed at him like he was a total stranger whom she was meeting for the first time.

She organized a get-together with her friends to celebrate the opening of her new boutique. Theo, Alice and a number of her other friends were present at the ceremony. Theo was accorded the honour of cutting the tape to officially open the boutique for business.

“I have the greatest honour of opening this boutique of excellence," he said, "in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

“Amen,” everyone chorused.

Theo cut the tape in two with a pair of scissors, and everyone clapped merrily. Paula took the guests inside and showed them around the boutique. They were all pleased with what they saw at the place. They were treated to a light meal and nice drinks, after which they bought some of the boutique's collections to mark opening sales for the boutique. The event was climaxed with music and dancing. Paula was indeed a fulfilled woman on that day, or so she felt. She had Theo to thank for her new status of a boutique owner on the big streets of Asokoro. She danced her heart out.

Sobbing, Nkiru lay in bed with Theo’s picture in her hands. She wondered if she knew who she'd gotten married to or she had wedded a stranger. She wandered down memory lane

Nkiru and Sophia stepped out of a shopping mall, both holding bags of provisions. They walked down the open street toward the bus stop. Nkiru had not left home with her car because she had little or no petrol in her fuel tank due to the on-going scarcity of petroleum which brought with it an unforeseen hardship. The heat of the sun wreaked havoc on Nkiru's skin and Sophia's.

“Lest I forget," Sophia said, changing the topic. They had been conversing about the fuel scarcity. "There is this guy in my neighbourhood.”

“What about this guy in your neighbourhood?” Nkiru asked.

“He is dying to meet you.”

Nkiru broke into a chuckle. "You are joking, Sophia.”

“It's the truth, Nkiru."

“How many times have I been to your house that somebody is already dying? Please, I am too young to be a murderer.”

“This guy has actually begged me to talk to you on his behalf.”

“Is he dumb that he can’t talk for himself?”

“Come on friend, let’s stop trivializing issues.”

“Since when have you become a matchmaker?” Nkiru chuckled at her barrage of questions.

“Please, I am serious. You should listen to me and make a jest about it when I am done.”

Nkiru decided to pay attention after Sophia’s last word. “I am listening.”

“His name is Theophilus. He did beg me to introduce him to you. He said he wanted a serious relationship that could lead to marriage.”

“Theophilus,” Nkiru repeated the name. She thought about ancient Greeks in the Bible and broke into a chuckle. Sophia looked at her friend and was forced to laugh too. “Nkiru is such a maniac,” Sophia thought.

The two friends walked away

Nkiru had never met Theo; she would always run into hiding whenever he came looking for her. She attended a gathering with Sophia after closing from her office in the evening. Theo was at the gathering too. He spotted the ladies and walked toward them. Sophia saw him and called Nkiru’s attention to him.

“I hope you are not going into hiding this time because Theo is here,” she said.

“Did you plan this, friend?” Nkiru asked.

Nkiru was privileged to see the guy whose name never strayed from her friend's lips. She was rattled at his sudden appearance and it put an end to her ‘hide and seek’ game. The young man surpassed her expectation. 'He is charming,' she thought.

“Hello, ladies,” Theo greeted.

“Hello,” the ladies responded.

Sophia took the pleasure to do the much anticipated introduction between the couple in the making. Nkiru, meet Theo. Theo, meet Nkiru.”

“It’s nice meeting you,” Theo said.

“It’s nice meeting you too,” Nkiru said.

Theo offered his hand for a handshake and Nkiru obliged the gesture.

“I’ve wanted to meet you,” Theo said.

Sophia quickly excused the two to the ladies’. Nkiru could sense the conspiracy, but she never minded. She and Theo stared at each other, uncertain about how to hold a conversation

Theo and Nkiru had a date at a restaurant late in the evening. They had a conversation in the course of their meal. It was one out of their occasional outings in six months. Theo offered to feed Nkiru by himself and she obliged. Nkiru also took her turn. The two enjoyed the episode. They fed each other with wine as well. Their time together over the past six months brought them bundles of joy. They had grown inseparable; they were to each other what blood is to the heart. They were always in harmony with each other, without any cause for fighting.

“Nkiru, I have arranged this dinner for a special purpose,” Theo said.

She broke into a chuckle. “We have been having dinners like this for the past six months. What is special about this one?”

“Today is special because I want us to take our relationship to the next level.”

“How do you mean?”

“I think it is time we moved to the altar. Will you marry me?”

Nkiru smiled. “Yes. I have waited for this day.”

They held each other’s hands in admiration. After they had completed their meal, they exited the cafeteria and moved to the backseat of Theo's car, where they kissed and snuggled, saying sweet words to each other...

A knock at the door pulled Nkiru out of her slumber. She glanced at her phone. It was 6:45a.m; no one came into her room at that time of the day. The brightness of the day was barely even apparent.

Nkiru grimaced. “Who is that?”

Caro walked in. “Na me. Madam, good morning.”

“It is too early to wake me up. What is it?”

“Madam, police dey for our house. Them say make I call you.”

“Police?” Shock ran down Nkiru's system. She wondered what the police could be looking for in her house at such an early hour of the day.

“Tell the police I will join them soon,” she said.

Caro left the room, and Nkiru knelt down for her morning devotion. Unable to compose herself, she repeated one word of prayer over and over again. She already had a divided attention with the police waiting for her in the living room.

The policemen sat down in the living room, waiting patiently. They stood up as Nkiru walked in. She exchanged greetings with them, her face bearing her curiosity. She never liked to have any business with the police due to her perception of the agency.

“How may I help you, please?” she asked.

“Are you Mrs Nkiru Nzeribe?” one of the officers asked.

“Yes.”

“Madam, your attention is needed at the station.”

“Am I under arrest?”

“You are needed at the station for interrogation.”

“Give me a second so I can leave a message with my housemaid.”

The men obliged her. Nkiru went with the policemen after she had passed instructions to Caro. A police vehicle was parked in the compound. There was an air of uneasy calm among the domestic staff as the policemen guarded Nkiru out of the house. Nosy heads stuck out from balconies of the neighbouring houses to satisfy their curiosity about the police's urgent visit. Nkiru hopped into the vehicle with the men. Monday opened the gate, and the police drove out. The faces hanging out at the balconies disappeared simultaneously.

Caro joined Monday at the gate. “Na wetin dey happen for the house?”

“Na you I suppose to dey ask,” Monday said. "After all na you dey Aso Rock.”

“Police don carry madam go.”

“I see them. Wetin them say madam do?”

“Me no know.” Caro clapped her hands animatedly. “But police say e get small talk for station.”

“Na wa o. Since oga leave this house na so so kata-kata.”

“I beg make I go. I never finish work inside.”

Caro went back to the house while Monday took his seat, thinking about the matter at hand.

Theo paid a courtesy call at the boutique to see Paula. The taxi he boarded drove to a halt right in front of the boutique. He paid his fare, hopped out of the taxi and walked straight into the building.

Paula caught sight of him as she carried out a supervisory check on the sales attendants. Smiling, she ran to hug him. “Hello, Theo.”

“Hello.” He returned her smile. “I can see you are enjoying your new office.”

“Very much, even much better than I had at the bank.” She led him to her office. “Let me pour you some wine.”

“Please do,” he said as he took his seat.

She poured two glasses of wine and offered one to him.

“How are the sales?” he asked, crossing his legs.

“Sales are improving by the day.” She sat down and drank from her cup.

“Are you hearing from Alice?”

“She is doing fine.”

Paula soon excused Theo as she received a call from the attendant. Theo found a magazine in the office and busied himself with its contents.

Nkiru, in company of police officers, arrived at the police station and was led to the interrogation room. She sat down and waited for the police officer in charge of her case to walk into the room. At the reception, she had witnessed a young woman being detained over serial thefts. Her missing bag and personal effects were found at a location in Lagos where another bag was picked at a church service.

She’d been called up by the police with the information on her contact found in her bag. The police detained her for theft once she arrived at the station.

The young woman and her husband, who appeared to a large extent like responsible citizens, argued that the bag that had been found at the Island Police Station had actually been stolen at the mainland in Surulere. They'd had no idea about any other missing bag. Her money and other valuables in her recovered bag were missing. The case was indeed complicated.

Nkiru ruminated over the matter before the officer she was waiting for walked into the office.

“Good morning, madam,” the man greeted. “Sorry to have kept you waiting.”

Nkiru gestured her acceptance.

The officer went on, “We received a report from one Mrs Ana that her son, Theophilus, was missing. She claims you have a hand in his disappearance.”

Nkiru was shocked at that. “I am sorry, officer, I don’t have a hand in anybody’s disappearance. The man in question is my husband and the woman you said made a report is my mother-in-law.”

“Madam, where is your husband now?”

“He left home for over a month now and has not come back.”

“You mean he left home for that long and you did not bother to look for him?”

“He went on a vacation,” she explained, “Although he did not tell me, I found out from a friend of his.”

“And you don’t know where he went on the vacation?”

“Yes, I don't.”

“Do you know where that friend of his stays?”

“Yes, I do.”

“You know what? Please, write down the friend’s address.”

Sighing, Nkiru gave the policeman Akintola’s address.

Paula called at Theo’s lodge late in the day and they engaged in a romance on the bed. Paula had a burden she wanted to let out. She put on hold her foreplay all of a sudden, and Theo was curious about her action.

“What is it, Paula?” he asked. “What is this about?”

“I am afraid I don’t know you,” she said, sitting up.

“How do you mean?” Theo sat up as well.

“Despite all you have done for me in the space of a month, I don’t know what you do for a living.”

“Come on, Paula, don’t be sceptical.”

“I know your name is not Chief Morris Herbert.”

Theo was a little apprehensive. “Why do you say so?”

“I saw the newspaper from which you adopted the name.”

Theo could not utter a word in defence against her claims. He regretted not getting rid of the newspaper in the first place.

The policeman and Nkiru soon become friends. He offered her a ride in his car, and a conversation ensued between them

“Madam, why does your mother-in-law accuse you of your husband’s disappearance?” he asked.

“She hates me because I have not gotten a child for her son,” Nkiru said.

“But it is only God who gives children.”

“The woman doesn’t understand that. Maybe she thinks I am happy without a child myself.”

“How long have you been married?”

“It’s been five years.”

“Do you think your husband left home due to the childlessness?”

“I think it could be one of the reasons. Each time we had a misunderstanding, he threatened to leave the house."

“Did anyone see him leave the house?”

“Yes; the gatekeeper.”

The officer neared her house.

“I think I can find my way from here,” she said.

“Are you sure you are okay here?” he asked.

“Yes, you can pull over.”

The man pulled over at the side of the road. Nkiru thanked him before she hopped out of the car. The car sped off into the distance.

Alice called at the boutique, and she and Paula took a walk around as Paula inspected her wares. The two settled down at the office.

“Congrats once again Paula for this milestone achievement,” Alice said.

“Thank you,” Paula said, and offered her friend a seat. She poured her a drink.

“This Chief Morris is becoming a subject of interest,” Alice said.

“He is not Chief Morris. He is Theophilus.” Paula passed Alice the drink.

“How do you mean?” Alice asked.

Paula sat down. “His name is Theophilus Nzeribe.”

“Paula, I am beginning to doubt this man’s personality.”

“Come on Alice, what are you insinuating?”

“That man could be a criminal hiding in the hotel.”

“Theo is no criminal. He is a business man. Let me show you his business card.” She retrieved Theo’s complimentary card from her purse and showed it to Alice.

“Look here pal," Alice said; looking at the card, "anyone can afford a complimentary card. Even a criminal can have this.”

“Please, let us not spoil the fun with this flimsy argument," Paula suggested. The two focused on their drink.

It was the break of dawn; Monday sang his native song as he cleaned up his duty post. It had become part of his routine to sing every morning. Caro, who was within range doing her laundry, laughed at her fellow domestic staff.

“Caro, which kind laugh you dey laugh sef?” Monday had caught her staring at him a couple of times. “Abi na crime to sing?”

Caro said nothing in response; she kept laughing instead.

“I no blame you," Monday said. "Nobody sabi sing for your village.” He left the damsel in her amusement and continued with his chores.

There was a knock at the gate and Monday felt disturbed. “Who be that carpenter?”

He attended to the gate, and two policemen walked in, taking him aback.

“Oga police, I am sorry,” he apologized for his bad use of language. But all were immaterial to the men who had called for a separate mission.

“Our madam no dey house,” Monday said in anticipation.

“We are not looking for your madam," one of the men said, looking around the compound. "We are looking for Monday.”

The mention of Monday’s name frightened the life out of him. He felt like a dagger had pierced through his heart, and he felt the lifelessness travel down his spine. Caro abandoned what she was doing as she watched the unfolding drama.

“Oga, na me be Monday,” Monday said, trembling.

“You are needed at the station for interrogation.”

“Oga, na wetin I do?”

“You are going with us now. Don’t waste our time.”

Caro stood at a distance, watching as the policemen took Monday away. Monday caught sight of Caro as he was being whisked away. He told her to let madam know what had transpired. Caro heard him but was too afraid to open her mouth.

Caro soon found her voice after the men had left with Monday.

She clapped her hands in awe. “Wonder shall never end. So Monday get hand for oga disappearance? No wonder

”

Her thoughts settled on what Monday had told her some time ago

Caro was preparing to go shopping that morning. Her attention was drawn to an excited Monday who sat at his post, drinking beer.

“Monday, which one be this merry-merry early this morning?” she enquired.

“Caro, come join me celebrate; better don land.” He beckoned her to his bench, dipped his hand into his pocket, and gave her some money to get herself a drink.

“Abi you don win jackpot?” she asked.

“Caro, my levels go soon change.”

“Abeg Monday," she said, looking at the money in her hand, "I no understand you this morning.”

“When I say level go change, I mean I go soon become rich man like oga.”

Caro broke into a chuckle, clapping her hands. “Na wa o! How poor gateman like you won become rich?”

“Leave that thing, Caro. What about Bill Gate for America? Na rich man.”

She chuckled again. “That man for America no be gateman work him take become big man o. Na computer him dey sell.”

“I get my secret plan. After that, you go carry me go see your family make I pay your bride price.”

“You no well,” she rebuffed, “You won marry me as your eye dey shook so make you no go do ritual money.”

She threw his money back at him and walked away

Caro came out of her retrospection with fear and trembling. She feared and hoped Monday had not done something evil to have drawn the attention of the police. She locked the gate and could not resume her washing due to the shock she had received.