Near Miss

THIRTEEN

It is not strange for Kayode to be summoned to their home in the capital to talk business. The senator will never talk business on the phone. The curious thing about this summon is that he was on an urgent errand by the senator himself. He was irritated and annoyed because he hates to go home. Home is one place where he has his tail between his legs; a place where no one has respect for him. The senator makes him feel like a boy. It is hard to admit, but just like everyone else Kayode is afraid of the senator. It is wise to fear the senator if you have any interest is self-preservation. The man is fierce and highly dangerous and even his son knows. That is the reason for which this summon fills him with apprehension. At the house the senator was not in the living room. He left instructions for Kayode to join him in his room. As he gets closer to the senator’s room his fears grow. This must serious.

Inside his room, the senator stood looking out the window and did not acknowledge Kayode’s knock or presence in the room. He is fuming and this is not good for Kayode.

“Just when I think you cannot do anything worse to smear my name you get caught with your pants down.” Kayode was confused and did not know what to say.

“You were to seal the deal with Cole but instead you killed someone and you were stupid enough to get caught.”

Kayode stiffened he taught Tiga tied all loose ends.

“You have nothing to say? You will always be a boy until I stop cleaning up your messes. How does a girl end up dead with you? How hard is it to get a tramp to fulfill your twisted fantasies, pay her off and be done with it?” Kayode just looked at his shoes.

“Any other thing I need to know? I don’t want any other surprises.”

“No.”

“For your sake I hope so. Get out.”

“Go to Cape Town and stay there until I send for you!” The senator said before he could step out of the door.

Doc is the only person in this world that Senator Agbaja can speak to confidentially on the phone chiefly because they must not be remotely associated together; plus the senator is confident of the doc’s professionalism and has been for the past couple of years. The Man has toppled governments with his rare set of skills.

“The police are clueless. The blackmail is not from there. The only place to look is amongst your boy’s people and the resort.”

“Do it. Clean up.”

“Yes sir.”

Seyi’s night was turbulent. One would have thought that after the journey back from Kenya he would be pooped to the point of passing out. But he could not sleep. When he did doze he was right back in the jungle with Morenike running hand in hand sweating fearful for their lives. He jolted from sleep with a headache and did not bother to go back sleep. He threw himself into work on his apartment. By early morning he was tired. He got something to eat and napped a little. His phone rang later in the afternoon and he received the call reluctantly.

“Were you sleeping?” It is Morenike.

“Not anymore.” She giggled and his day improved a great deal.

“There is a party at our church why don’t you come over? You can be a random church member, but at least I will get to hang out with you.

“What the occasion?”

“Wedding rehearsal party.”

“What will your groom have to say about that?”

“He is MIA- business.”

“What!”

“It’s ok he has a stand in.”

“A stand in Husband?”

“It is no big deal. Are you coming?”

“I’ll be there .”

This girl is crazy to be fine with such an arrangement or the guy foolish to be so lackadaisical about his bride to be.

His wardrobe has improved greatly over the last couple of weeks and it showed as he arrived at the church party. He mingled with the crowd and tried to look for Morenike, but she found him first.

“Hello handsome.” What am I doing? I should not be here. Seyi thought

“Hi.” They found a place to sit.

“Having fun?”

“I am now.” This is crazy. He cannot do this. Being here hurt more than he thought it would. He was about to tell Morenike that he had a place to be when he saw him. The well-dressed man he saw Rita and company with at the resort.

“What is it?” Morenike turned and saw Poju. She got up. They hugged.

“I am so sorry my love. I tried to be here earlier, but I am here now.”

“It is alright.” Morenike fidgeted. She did not realize how awkward it would be to introduce Seyi to Poju. Before she could try however, she noticed that Seyi had simply disappeared.

Bloated Datare stood before her refrigerator for a while before deciding to do all kinds of shopping. Cash is fast dwindling and she can no longer wait for Ken. The baby can come at any time and she is grossly unprepared. Ken had not been back since their awful fight that morning. Datare had stopped being afraid she is in survival mode. Her plan is simple. She is expecting her baby any day now. Once the baby is born, she will get a job and prepare to return home.

Her first stop was the gallery. As expected, it had been closed. There was a letter of foreclosure pasted on the door. That is it, the gallery is gone. She has passed the point of regret now. That is what she gets for jumping on a plane with a foreign stranger. She continued to walk. The store is on the next street, no sense wasting money on a cab. Suddenly she felt a dull pain at the low of her back. It subsided and she continued to walk, but came in a new wave after a moment. The dull cramp began to radiate to her lower belly. She needed to sit down; she looked around but could not reason as the cramp intensified at her back. She heard voice around her: “She’s in labor, call 911.” She was rooted, could not move or sit. The baby is coming. Before she could worry out of her mind she heard an ambulance wailing down the street. Help is on the way. Ken Where are you?

The kind people lifted her into the ambulance.

“Is there anyone you would like to call? The young nurse asked.

“No.”