MY TREASURED DESIRE

Chapter FORTY-FOUR: Fourth Member of the Table!

Monday, 1:30 pm Local Time (Monday 5.30 am, GMT or UTC.)

Crown Prince’s Residence, Imperial Palace, Achaia.

5 Days Before the Proposed International Birthday Bash for Prince Liu Cheng Yu.

Colonel Adewale King’s POV.

I was there with Brigadier-General Leslie Adams – as he reminisced. He felt obliged to personally appreciate his benefactors for the lessons of life he learned from his defeat on the day they had met for the first time; the productive way of earning more respect for honest service; and the virtue of being there for others! According to him, that has built him for a more profitable future.

Brigadier-General Leslie Adams cast his mind back to when Dr. Alex instructed him, ‘You will now protect Patrick Jacobs – the Grand Home Kitchen's CEO, for free. He is one of your bosses now... We would get you an updated licence, if necessary – after we have run a security check on your organisation, and we shall give you an annual subvention of $12,200,000= to run your security outfit here in America. Is that okay?!’

“That Patrick Jacob’s Grand Home Kitchen Franchise had grown so big and wealthy today. Through them, we had earned billions of dollars protecting other business premises and interests.”

“General, are you trying to inform me that private security outfits make the cool dollars more than civil service?” was my simple question to which he answered, “Let God lead you in everything you do for God and humanity”.

I felt so good that someone could be so grateful to own up to being positively influenced by fellow humans in their absence. Most people acknowledge your worth when you are watching them, hearing them, or when you are dead. At that juncture, Brigadier-General Leslie Adams added:

“Sir Dr. Alex George-Orji Junior told me these 2 truths that I had always used to guide my organisation. One: Achievement is what you can have by yourself. But Success is what people can let you have when you’re still good with them. Legacy is what people can let you have when you are no longer with them. So, at the back of your mind, LEGACY should be what drives your actions.”

“Two: Focus on building people: Every business, workplace, or company is an incubation place to raise people!”

I would always remember those anecdotes, too!

The New Ambassador called his Six Super-Expert Masters and briefed them on the next outing. This was especially necessary as the team was going to the Posh Restaurant from whence his benefactors were tailed and later ambushed on that night of long knives.

***

Brigadier-General Leslie’s Locket Mystery!

I gently grasped my 24-carat necklace that bore an old locket – A locket that had given me so much luck throughout my Defense academy days. I looked at my locket and smiled.

I got this locket from my dad. It was his priceless possession. I got the locket when I celebrated my seventeenth birthday, and I had no girlfriend to dance with. I told my dad about Fiona. I described her and my dad smiled. He went inside and brought an expensive necklace bearing an old locket. He opened the locket and invited me to sit by his side:

“Did you just describe this sensuous little angel?” and he exposed the picture to me… “I have kept this for 20 years!”

“O My God,” I exclaimed after I saw what I had been dreaming about for two years. “How could you have kept a photo of Fiona and me for twenty years? Fiona would be fifteen tomorrow, and I am just seventeen today!”

“Well, does she look like your Fiona? That is my own Fiona!”

“What are you saying, dad? I hope you are not hallucinating?”

“No… I loved her when she was 15 and I was seventeen. I took that picture with her! You look so much like I was at your age,” my dad had said.

 “Why did you marry my mother when you loved another woman?” I wondered.

“It is a long story… What matters is that your mother married the man she loved two years after my Fiona married her sweetheart, a very wealthy industrialist from the Donald Rich Dynasty. I pray that your Fiona loves you back, because mine never loved me one bit, and she told me.” dad told me bitterly.

“Then, why did she agree to take this photograph with you?” I asked.

“She wanted Lt. Chu-Young Adams to be happy… I met your mom a year after and married her when I was twenty. We had you as our blessing ten months after. She loves me so much that such care made me put the daughter-in-law of Donald Rich aside for a while. But I could never forget Fiona… Even the mention of Chu-Young causes a stir in that Rich family!” He replied, patted me on the head, and smiled.

“That was hard luck, dad… I promise to make it right for you by making sure I marry the love of my life… This Fiona will be mine: I will work hard to win that family’s respect and honour!” I patted my dad on the shoulder.

“So shall it be, my strength, Amen!” my dad responded with a dashing smile. I know he was so happy to hear that! “So, ask me for anything I can afford, And I promise to give it to you? It would be your birthday present… You have only one chance, Leslie Adams!”

I pretended to think about what I wanted while I looked forward and saw my friends dancing with their girlfriends and boyfriends… So, I called my dad’s attention!

“What is the greatest love of all, dad?”

“That one man gave his life for his friends… Love always gives…” my father was saying before he paused. “What are you implying, son?”

“I’ve chosen my gift. There’s no ‘NO’ for an answer!” I saw the panic on my dad’s face. He loves me so much. But he seems to be overthinking right now.

“Please be wise, son… That request must bring you joy! Or else I won’t accept it!”

“Here I go… The locket and the 24-carat gold necklace.” He never wears it, but he cherishes it so much!

My father was stupefied for a moment. That was so close to his heart. But he keeps it away from my mom and the family. But he had once told me that if Jesus Christ gave his life for mankind, and he had vowed to give his life in defending his nation, then he can give anything in love!

He opened his eyes and smiled. He beckoned me to come for a hug. Then, he said, “Happy Birthday, Leslie!” as he handed the locket and the necklace to me. He smiled widely, and as he wanted to speak, my mother came, hugged him with so much love and dragged him away! He was the love of her life!

After they had left, my only sister came and curled herself in my embrace as I admired my gift… It carried two pictures – a photo of myself, the way I looked at 15; and one girl that looked exactly like Fiona Rich when she was only 13.

***

Monday, 3:05 pm Local Time (Tuesday 7:05 am, GMT or UTC.)

Zyuganov Imperial Restaurant, New Beijing, Achaia.

19 Days Before the Proposed Traditional Marriage Between Alexa and Reynold.

I sat at the next table to the Brigadier-General and the neurosurgeons’ table - with three of the six Super-Expert Masters - after our reception by the Restaurant Protocols and we were taken to our beautifully decorated tables. Dr. Alex’s chef chatted him up about what the news carried on him and his fiancée, and the third occupant of their wider table dismissed the story with: “Respected Elder, Thanks for your genuine care. Now, we can see for ourselves: They are perfectly alright. Don’t mind the reporters, they cannot see beyond their lenses!”

We were enjoying our sumptuous meals, with a live band playing African Juju music… The last time I heard that was over twenty years ago: I was in the kindergarten in a great university city, Àgọ́-Ìwòyè, Ogun State, in Nigeria. I couldn’t believe that this kind of music is enjoyed beyond Africa. More than soulful, thrilling philosophical lyrics blended into dance-able tunes... I love the beautiful blonde dancers, shaking their waists and the young male dancer doing the rhythmic belly and waist dance. WOW! If they were not having a brighter skin colour, I would have said they were Africans. They got every step right! Looking at Dr. Alex as he admires them, I see that these people will be wealthy today.

In a surprising manner - a gorgeous blonde female was ushered into the Restaurant. All eyes turned and she got shy. She was so attractive that I stood up… Brigadier-General Leslie Adams also stood up with a smile and beckoned on the ushers to bring her to his side. I was surprised that she did not object.

“My Prince,” Brigadier-General Leslie called on Sir Dr. Alex as the blonde beauty stood beside him with a shy smile, “Please meet the apple of my eyes: Miss Fiona.” She curtsied and smiled as she fixed her gaze on Dr. Reese.

“Oh My God,” she screamed as she convinced herself that she was about to sit with the Princess of Achaia… “Our Princess?”

“Babe, here you meet a prince of Africa, the Knight of Benjamin Wesley, the highly acclaimed Neurosurgeon, and billionaire fiancé of our princess: Sir Dr. Alex George-Orji Junior,” The new General introduced the prince, and later, the Princess.

“I have heard about a former Governor in South-Eastern Nigeria, Architect Sir Dr. Alex George-Orji,” Fiona said with excitement. “So young, I saw you on TV last year too. Your extended family gave out over 10 billion dollars to better the lots of poor African youths!”

I quickly corrected Miss Fiona, on the personalities, because General Leslie may not know the difference. I said, “Father and Son would usually have such a striking resemblance. The father has the commonwealth honour, Knight of the British Empire (KBE) while this is the son, the neurosurgeon with the honour from God’s Church, Knight of Benjamin Wesley (KBW).”

“Oh, Thank You for the enlightenment, Sir!” Miss Fiona replied. She curtsied again before the prince.

The prince did not stretch his hand, but only gave a dazzling smile and said:

“How lovely to meet you at last: This stubborn man confided in Reese and me, that he would never marry until he finds his first love, Miss Fiona Rich. I asked if he has proposed to her, and he said, ‘I do that in my prayers, every day!’ You are welcome, Miss Fiona!”

Leslie sniggered at the revelation from the prince, and we all laughed at him. So, he refused to mention the names of the members of our entourage. He only said we are his senior colleagues… which is false, anyway. We nodded from our tables. We – the prince, princess, and the security operatives - were the only occupants of the entire restaurant floor, so whoever comes here must have been screened to be part of us.

“Oh, I can see why the all-Caucasian band sings a Yoruba tune… The beauty of international acculturation!” Fiona exclaimed and sat coquettishly.

The princess raised a question, “I will ask you a few questions, Miss Fiona…”

“I will be pleased to respond honestly, Your Highness,” Miss Fiona responded with a smile.

“The few words you said show that you have got to know so much about African Culture. How did you distinguish between the Yoruba music and the music of other parts of Africa?”

“I studied International Relations. So, at the Masters’ Level, I specialised in Social and Cultural Environments, which afforded me the grace to get accustomed to varied social, musical, and dress cultures across the globe, amongst so many disciplines!”

“Are you Dr. Alan Rich’s brother?” was the unexpected salvo from the princess.

I saw Leslie stretching his head as if he needed to swallow the answer to that question. Miss Fiona smiled and said: “Permit me to say that the General is a little bit confused. He daydreams so much, Your highness!”

We all laughed out loud as we watched General Leslie withdraw his stretched neck.

“Oh, Okay,” Princess Reese smiled and asked another question. “Do you live in England?”

“Yes, Princess.”

“How did you meet General Leslie?”

“I met him in the UK on a brief business… But I later went to the US for 6 months, and he would not let me breathe!” Miss Fiona said, smiling, amidst the laughter from the prince and the rest of us.

“Miss Fiona, I put it to you that you pursued after Leslie from the UK., tailed him to the US, and stalked him continuously until he reached Achaia…” Princess Reese pronounced, as she joined the laughter, with Fiona too.

Miss Fiona looked at Leslie for a while, and full of smiles, she spoke in low tones to Princess Reese – we could hear her clearly though, “Leslie is a funny man. I told him I had a business meeting in Achaia, and he found out my itinerary. Then, he told me he would be here for business too. He generously sent me a car to bring me, today, for an early dinner… Ask him who is tailing who.”

“I sent her a limo because she is the fourth member of the table.” General Leslie responded as the laughter continued.

Sir Dr. Alex Junior lowered his voice and said, “For those of us that believe in the enigmatic truism, Tomorrow will be a shocker for one of you. Dreams come true in ways we do not expect. This will positively affect our business in a big form. Leslie has a meeting with someone who will expand our main business and our joy!”

After that short speech, he stood up and raised the champagne glass: “To greater heights in business! To love for Leslie and Fiona’s Business!”

“To greater heights in business! To love for Leslie and Fiona’s Business!”



We clinked our glass and enjoyed Prince Alex’s jokes, as the music changed to Sir Stephen Osita Osadebe’s Osondi Owendi… from the Kedu America Album. It was fun thereafter.