Point of no Return

Manifestation Begins

Two

Manifestation Begins

It was going to be a jolly good day really, so Ken decided to hang around and try to play video games with Tile as part of little celebration in advance. But the keypads were broken, so they ended up cooking a reluctant lunch and sat telling regrettable anecdotes.

It was until 2pm when Jennifer returned. This time she rapped briefly on the door but waited for no answer. She barged in and caught their mouths in mid-air trying to say something that resembled her name. But it didn’t matter now. She shrugged as to say, “hope you guys are alright”, and sprawled into the only old couch in the living room.

“Hm. So how was your day?” she asked in the direction of Tile.

“Alright... I guess,” he said in his usual melancholy, but this time it seemed a little dramatic. “We have noodles for lunch, would you care for?”

“I’m fasting,” Jenny peeped.

Tile and Ken exchanged looks as if to say “really?!”

The high frequency intuitive Jennifer said, “what… my pastor said I should fast for seven days”.

Tile and Ken still exchanged looks, this time with a knowing astonishment. Seven days. Even Jennifer couldn’t decipher about this time. But surely these two were unto no good. She began chattering in her usual gregarious, of how most men of God these days were fake and some, businessmen. Apparently, she had seen more than just a few. But according to her, the last prophet she had seen was clearly a true man of God, because she had started seeing manifestations from her spiritual exercises.

She had been fervently praying for a husband to shame her village people who must have hexed her from getting married earlier, or if at all. As much as the duo wanted again to exchange looks, they only found themselves nodding vigorously to disguise the knowing coincidence. She explained in vivid detail how her day had gone, and how she had also gone to see her Man of God.

Suddenly, Ken felt as if he was overstaying his welcome and needed to give these two some space. So he rose abruptly to leave. They both saw him to the door together as if they were already coupling. As soon as they returned to their seats after the valedictions, Jenny headed straight to the kitchen to take her lunch. But instead of dishing it out on a saucer, she took the whole pot and landed it on the table in the living room and started scooping exaggerated mouthfuls while trying to talk to Tile at the same time.

“So how was your day really, did you go out at all?” she munched.

“My day was great. Kennedy came by and we drove out to check on an old friend, but he wasn’t in, so we returned home to work on a few proposals,” he lied. Then he added, “But you said you were fasting.”

“Wow, your day was quite engaging,” she said, deliberately ignoring Tile's last comment. Then she seized her breath momentarily and held her chest with her left hand gasping, “water.” Tile dashed into the kitchen and brought a glass of water with speed of light. She quickly snatched the glass and gulped down the water greedily. As soon as she dropped the glass, she began to talk again, forgetting completely that pepper had just gone down the wrong way in her breathing pipes.

“I just broke my fast, as you can see,” she now answered. “So, Mr. Alex Atir... he stays in Singapore. We have been in touch since two years ago. We do a few businesses together whenever he comes around. You know, that sorta thing. I have made several connections for him over these years whenever he comes around,” she was saying.

“What connections?” Tile cut in.

But Jennifer continued as if she had not heard the question. “He is into phones and computers back in Singapore. He is nursing an idea to extend his enterprise to Nigeria here, but he wants to understand the market feasibility before he will proceed. Your job is to find the market and to convince him that he can sell. Can you do that?”

“Yes,” was all Tile could say.

“Then perfect. We’ve got us a deal. When you convince him sufficiently, he may mobilize you with cash immediately to set to work. But I told him you are an established consultant, so he definitely has that in mind. Now, you will have to dress for the job. We shall drive out together to buy you a suit. Eh?”

“Will that be necess…”

“Very necessary!” she cut in.

After a momentary thought, Tile said, “I am not prepared for shopping now.”

“Who said you must be? I AM taking you shopping.” On this note, she took her pot and the other lunch paraphernalia and headed to the kitchen. She returned immediately and said, “Let’s go,” clutching her car key.

“Now?” a confused Tile asked, not knowing whether to turn down the offer.

“Stop been such a schmuck, go get dressed I’m waiting in the car”.

As much as this was been too good to be true, it was indeed true. So Tile had little or no choice but to go with the flow. Since his dreams were taking form right before his eyes, he only had to honour the universe for doing his bidding. So he went into the bedroom to get dressed. He went without reluctance.

As he stepped out and entered the vehicle to join Jennifer, her mood was thoughtful, sullen and solemn. and she was not in a hurry to kick the car to life.

“Tile,” she began, “I know I’ve been so very forward with you since morning. My approach may stun you and perhaps inconvenience you. I know I’m not supposed to come aggressively at you that way, especially that I am a woman. But…”

Before she could complete the sentence, Tile’s lips grabbed hers in mid-sentence and he kissed her deeply and passionately. Why for he did that, even he could not explain. Perhaps, to ease Jennifer’s fears that she was been too forward, or perhaps to satisfy his longing of all these while, or perhaps he decided to be the man and claim what was his, especially now that he was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, or perhaps all three rolled in one fold.

But for whatever reason he may have done the kissing, Jennifer heaved a heavy sigh of relief as if she had finally made it to the very zenith of the Everest after a week's climb. Without saying any more words, she quietly turned the kick-starter and the car sneezed to life. She drove sleekly out of the compound and as they hit the road she said, “Thank you,” turning to look him deep in the eye.

“What for?”

“I was all acting, Tile, deep down I felt you would reject me… like you did the other time”.

“What other time?” he asked, feigning ignorance.

“O come on… stop acting as if you don’t know what I’m talking about”.

 Although Tile knew she was talking about that night a year ago, he decided this was no time for bringing on regrettable experiences. So he said, “do not think I don’t like you Jennifer, but to be sincere with you, I just wanted to go easy and bid my time.”

“Go easy? Or you felt intimidated?”

Tile made to say something but the words seemed to have suddenly evaporated. So it was her turn to continue. “Well, you men are just full of yourselves. You hide in the cloak of pride and refuse to face your fears. What is there to walk up to a lady and confess how you feel?”

“Jennifer everybody knows you are a classy…”

“I knew that’s where you were going," she cut in. "Thank God you are going to have class, and soon too.” Tile thought she was going to keep jabbering but that had been the end of what she wanted to say and there was all silence.

It was now Tile’s turn to say “thank you... Thank you Jennifer, for everything you are doing for me,” he said.

“For us,” Jennifer corrected.

“Yea, that's right,” was all he said now.

“Are you sure you want this?”

“Exactly what I want.”

“I always knew something was keeping you aloof, now I understand what the problem was. Money.”

“Who doesn’t want money Jennifer? I need money; it is not even about wanting it. Everything in this country starts and ends with money.”

After a brief thought, Jennifer opened her pigeon-hole and brought out a bundle of one hundred thousand Naira and dropped it on his laps. Then she said, “there is the beginning of your money, but make sure you pay me back when you start rolling your millions.”

Tile couldn’t refuse her; she had already cunningly wrapped the gesture as a loan. But he didn’t pick up the money; he just allowed it to stay on his laps.

Soon, Jennifer pulled up in front of a gorgeous boutique and alighted. Tile followed her down, clutching his new money and putting it in his jeans pocket. Jennifer led the way and he followed into the boutique. There was a wild cheer as soon as Jennifer was spotted in the boutique.

It was owned by one of her friends. Her friend, Ivy, was slender ebony with a finely cut face, who loudly celebrated Jennifer's arrival. Although she appeared too sophisticated for Tile’s liking, she also appeared to have a good sense of industry. She even tried to speak English with a British accent, which made her come off as intimidating and self-asserting. It seemed she had been educated in London or something, and she was beautiful; way too beautiful. And this, Tile could not help admitting.

Quickly, Ivy dragged Jennifer to a corner where they spoke in low tones while stealing glances at him. Tile knew they were gossiping about him. And soon, Ivy rent the air with cries of joy and hurrah. She then sprinted with a catwalk of some super Gucci model and came face to face with Tile.

“I know exactly what is good for you. Just follow me,” she said and signaled him with her index finger.

Tile just followed like a moron, with Jennifer treading behind until they came to a large glass casement in which there were several designer suits of Gucci, Dolce and Gabana and even Fubu. There were also assorted Italian hand-stitched shoes.

Tile was busy wondering how a girl, younger than he was, would own this large and expensive establishment when he had been struggling to own a video game in his living room all along. Ivy brought out a sleek black Dolce and Gabana designer suit and said, “Try this.” She also took a colouful brown-black pair of shoes and a red shirt and handed them to him. “Go down the hallway to that door, enter and try them on,” she said, pointing.

As Tile emerged from the dressing room, he indeed felt like the butterfly had finally and fully transformed. The two ladies just gawped. They came over to him, completely transfixed. Then Ivy said, “Jenny, I must confess that you have got a handful here.”

“Oh, please…” was all Jennifer could say.

Tile was obviously enjoying himself. He was beginning to like this talkative friend of Jennifer’s, even though he kept wondering how she must have made her fortune.

“Come with me,” Ivy said.

She led them to another large casement with accessories – wrist-watches, both with chains and leather-strapping, most of them gold. Eye-glasses, chain bangles, gold rings and other assorted accessories. She opened the casement and handed Tile a gold Rolex watch. She picked a ring to match and gave him too. Finally, she took a Gucci sunglasses and wore it to Tile's face.

“Wow, now you are looking like Johnny Depp,” Ivy said.

The sudden transformation thrilled Jennifer more than anyone else. She wondered how society would have ended up rendering this young handsome man with great potential, useless. She just came over and hugged Tile passionately as if she had finally found a long-lost relative.

Noticing the emotional atmosphere, Ivy said, “I leave you guys to it,” and briskly sprinted off as she had come, to join her pack of salesgirls down the hall. Jennifer looked up to his face and then kissed him softly on the lips and said quietly under her breath, “my man.”

*******************

It was past 9pm when Jennifer’s car horned outside his door. He was all dressed and ready. It was now clear to him, the usual saying that money had a spirit. This was the first time he was having one hundred thousand that was not on a budget; pocket money to just hold on to and spend when the need arose. With his new suit, expensive accessories, a new phone and spendable cash, he was indeed feeling like a Johnny Depp. He took calculated steps and met Jenny on the doorway as she was about to come in.

“Oh, you are all set? I thought you were still lazying around. You look really awesome!”

“Thank you.”

They entered the car and drove off.

As they arrived the venue of the meeting, Kennedy was already seated at a table waiting, as other customers in the bar danced gently to a jazz tune. Tile had requested Ken to come over and be of moral support, so that nothing would go wrong for the night. He too was gorgeously dressed to the teeth and Tile loved what he was seeing. Being a software engineer meant he too would have a big stake in the IT deal he hoped to cut tonight. They walked over and sat on the empty chairs opposite Ken, facing him.

“How long have you been here?” Tile asked him.

“Barely ten minutes, even my order is yet to arrive.”

After a brief exchange of pleasantries with Jennifer, Ken called Tile aside. “Men… I could hardly recognize you; Baba Ortwar has really done it for us men.” As he said this, Tile felt a little uncomfortable and he turned about to see if Jennifer or any other person had eavesdropped.

“Chill men…” Ken was saying, “Do you have an idea of how far men are prepared to go just to be comfortable? Any man who is yet to understand that this world is a spiritual world and human beings are just going about blindly is not yet ready for greatness, grab that.”

“Oh, but it is not to go about announcing it everywhere you go,” Tile retorted.

“Well, nobody heard us. So are you ready?”

“Yes I am.”

“I mean have you brought the abedegȏdo with you and the other items?”

“Yes, they are all in my breast pocket.”

“You’re the man. I must say you look good men!”

“Thanks.”

They went back to their seats as the club began to be crowded. The MC took to the microphone and started giving announcements and welcoming everyone to the party. He said the gathering was meant to celebrate the homecoming of the opulent businessman and son of the soil, who was living abroad, Mr. Alex Atir. According to him, Mr. Atir had not arrived but everyone was to begin eating and drinking as they wished.

It was a few minutes to midnight when Mr. Atir arrived. He was a hulk of a man and with a baritone voice. He dressed like an Italian Mafioso and wore a thick, heavy beard. The only difference was his foot wear. Instead of wearing a nice Santos shoes to go with his long heavy coat, he wore All-Star sneakers shoes. He smoked heavily on a Cuban cigar and had kept smoking non-stop all through their time of stay.

There were half a dozen girls with him; the oldest must have been only twenty-two thereabouts. They were mostly university students. They were all dressed half-naked but good to look at. Evidently, the fifty-something year old man loved opulence and grandeur.

But as soon as he settled down, Tile noticed something about Alex Atir. He was business-minded and straight-to-the-point. Instead of sitting there discussing business like most local businessmen did just to flaunt their meager wealth, he called Tile aside as soon as the introductions were done. Ken who was brought for moral support was already drunk. He had been behaving funny and had made Jennifer to laugh her lungs out until her eyes were misty with tears.

Mr. Atir took Tile to an interior room meant for such tete-a-tetes. The room was very small and with only two small cozy chairs, in one of which Mr. Atir plunked and appeared very uncomfortable. He motioned to Tile to seat in the other chair and continued puffing his smoke heavily.

Tile’s heart was beating very fast. But when Mr. Atir began to talk, he realized that all his pep-talk and rehearsals had come to naught. The man did not bother to ask for any conviction from Tile. He just began.

“Jennifer has highly recommended you. She told me you worked with the previous state Governor on his staff database project. That is very commendable. I personally praised the Governor for that initiative and getting to meet the brain behind it all, the one who made the logistics possible, I must say it’s really a pleasure”.

Tile made to say something but the man seemed not to have paused for him. He only puffed his smoke and continued. So Tile had only to nod.

“This project I intend to do, I am now confident that it has landed in safe hands. Someone recommended by Jennifer cannot be a fool. By the way, she says you guys even share a personal relationship. She is a good girl. I hope you find her interesting?”

As Tile began to wonder when they would talk business proper, Mr. Atir took his briefcase, opened it and handed over a document to Tile.

“Everything you need is in there. Would you prefer cash or a bank transfer?”

“Bank Transfer is okay with me,” Tile replied.

“Okay call out your account number for me.”

Tile spelt his account number, making sure the numeric pronunciations were clear and distinct to the listener. Now was not a time to take chances. After confirming the account number, Mr. Atir did the money transfer. Soon, Tile’s phone beeped and he picked it up to confirm the alert. He could hardly believe his eyes. The number of digits on the sum was astonishing. A whooping five million Naira!!

“I think we have already begun our deal. Look through the paper work and follow everything to the later. You are in charge now. The construction engineers and every other person reports directly to you. In fact, you will be doing most of the hiring. You contact me when there is need for disbursing more funds. For now, I believe we are done, except you have questions.” Atir said, not really expecting questions. “But remember, I am putting full trust in you because of Jennifer, so do not let us down.”

“I will do my very best sir,” was all Tile ended up saying in the short meeting.

“Alright then, my girls are waiting, let’s go and make merry.”

They rejoined the other duo. Tile called Jennifer aside and explained all that transpired. Jennifer only hugged him passionately without a word. He then asked to be excused as he would return shortly.

Seeing that Ken was already drunk, Tile decided not to notify him of his intended absence. So as Jennifer, who seemed a little tipsy too, returned to her seat, Tile took the final bold step.

As he stepped outside the premises of the club and began going down the street, a pang of cold harmattan breeze hit him. Just then, the anxious feeling of uncertainty in the morning hit him again. But he consoled himself that now there was money in his pocket and a whooping spendable cash in the bank that was all his. He reached the bend down the street and realized that it was quite isolated.

He began pulling his clothes gently. As he did so, he realized he was not really thinking, but his heart was beating wildly as if it would come through his mouth.