Bright Future 2

Chapter 2

Port Harcourt International airport, Nigeria.

"Finally!" Dera whispered to herself. She took a very deep breath, inhaling the petrichor in the atmosphere. "Back in my fatherland" she announced to herself, admiring the beauty of the environment here — she had missed it.

"I'm already missing mine" Edith countered, interrupting her thoughts. She was kinda fond of it — infact she enjoyed doing it.

"Don't worry Edith. We'll be back in England in no time" she assured her P.A. "... I hope" she added in a low tone, speaking more to herself than to her P.A

"You hope?" Edith queried, narrowing her eyes at her boss.

"Remind me again why we didn't come with my private jet" Dera asked, quickly changing the conversation.

"Well... because we're still renewing your license? But hey, the first class wasn't bad after all" Edith answered nervously, trying to cheer up her boss.

"It feels nothing like my jet" Dera countered. She was less impressed by Edith's strategy of handling the situation. "Get the luggages let's go" she instructed, while putting on her sunshade glasses and covering her hair with a scarf.

They passed through the departure gate and as expected, there was a limo waiting for them outside the airport — a very sleek one.

"So what's our first schedule?" Dera asked Edith as they entered the car.

"When we get to Umuahia, we'll meet with the Local Government Chairman" she replied without sparing Dera a look — she was busy with her tablet.

"Ok that sounds easy"

"Yea" Edith agreed absent mindedly. "So here, pick any of the 5 star hotel for our stay" she offered, passing Dera her tablet.

"We'll deal with that later. First, I have to go home!"

Umuahia, Nigeria

The trio: Buchi, Treasure and Strength, dragged their feet heavily against the floor as they entered their house. They had been exhausted from playing around in the park. Buchi had kept his words and had taken his kids to the park. They had wild fun running around and enjoying the moment while it lasted. Spending time with his kids was not something Buchi could always afford — no matter how rich he was. Being a slave to his work, Buchi was always barely at home. His work demanded most of his time and he painstakingly gave it, depriving his children most times, the joy of having a father.

"Stop playing that game! It's eating your mind, stupid!" Treasure cussed, nagging her brother who was busy playing a game with his phone.

"Why did you call me stupid?" Strength retaliated, narrowing his eyes at his sister. "Dad? Did you see that? Treasure's calling me stupid again" he complained but Buchi said nothing. He was still trying to figure a way to settle their issue without being accused of being biased.

"I'm calling you stupid because you're always playing that game! No wonder you're so dumb" Treasure continued to rant.

"I'm not dumb!" Strength yelled in anger and charged against his sister.

"Whoa! Hold on right there tiger" Buchi interfered putting a hand before Strength, separating him from his sister. "Now what did I teach you?" He asked, giving Strength a questioning look.

Strength heaved a sigh, then he spoke "It's not right to hit a woman... no matter what" he answered calmly, ashamed of himself for wanting to hit his sister a while ago.

"Oh yeah, cry baby" Treasure continued again, taunting her little brother. "You said you're not dumb, then explain to us why you got a zero in test" Treasure demanded, pulling a paper out of her bag.

"A zero?" Buchi screamed, snatching the paper from Treasure.

"That doesn't make me dumb" Strength retaliated. "There are some clever things I know that you don't!" he shouted at his sister

"Oh yeah? Alright dumbass like what?"

"Treasure enough! ...The both of you!" Buchi yelled at the two and they went silent instantly. "Treasure don't forget to drop a token in the swear jar" he said then continued studying the test result.

"Tell me what you think you know that I don't" Treasure began again. She felt challenged by her brother's claims.

"I bet my life you can't spell ETIQUETTE let alone, know what it means" Strength snapped back at her.

"How on earth am I supposed to know that word" Treasure replied, feeling embarrassed. "Well I bet my ice cream that you don't know how to spell it either, let alone know the meaning" Treasure countered. She was confident that her brother was bluffing. The two did not realize that their father was eavesdropping on their conversation.

"ETIQUETTE is spelt as E-T-I-Q-U-E-T-T-E and it means, rules governing socially acceptable behaviors" Strength replied confidently. Treasure quickly googled it just to be certain Strength was not playing tricks on her. The look in her eyes after the research were the same as her father's — they were both baffled. Treasure became angry — she wasn't annoyed because she had lost her icecream to her brother in a wager, she was infuriated because Strength was right — there was something he knew that she did not, and it bruised her ego.

"Strength!" Buchi called out to his son, after clearing his throat. "I've studied the test questions properly... I think there's something wrong with your result. If an average dummy were to go by luck, picking answers randomly, there's a high probability he would get 30% of the answers right. But you failed everything... like you did it on purpose and knew the right answers all along.

"N-no dad! T-he test was difficult " Strength interrupted.

"Strength!" Buchi called calmly and the boy went silent. "You're my son, and I know you're lying. You fidget when you lie" he said giving Strength a sad smile. "Now tell me son... why did you do it?"

Strength kept quiet, refusing to answer his father immediately. He finally spoke after a few considerations "The kids at school bully me because they think I'm too clever. They say I make them look stupid by getting too many scores above them. I don't have friends because everyone in my class thinks that too" he confessed keeping his gaze on the floor and tears began to drop from his eyes.

"Strength!" Buchi called out to his son once more — he was moved by the amount of suffering and pressure his son had had to endure at such age. "It's true that I've never been bullied in school, and I can't relate exactly how you feel, but one thing I know for sure is that, it's not a crime to be smart. You don't need everyone to like you. Never keep friends that do not value you or feel you're below or beyond their League. Always remember this, your sister and I are always here for you. Now keep your head high! Tomorrow I'll call your teacher. You're going to write a promotional exam because you're too smart to be in your class... okay?" He said, grabbing Strength gently by the shoulder.

"Dad?" Strength called out in almost a whisper

"Yes son?"

"I miss mom. Will she be at your birthday tomorrow?"

Buchi went silent immediately — he did not expect such demand, considering the fact that things were not okay with him and his wife and the kids knew about it. "I'll see what I can do... I guess I'll have to make her come" he replied more to himself than his children, sadness clearly evident in his eyes. "Now kids come give daddy a hug" he announced as he snapped out of his thoughts. He outstretched his arms and his children dived into them and he gave them a bear hug.

"Mr Chairman?" A voice called gently, interrupting their family moment — it was his secretary.

"Alright kids! Now go to your rooms... daddy's gotta work" he ordered gently and they left with a sad face. "How far have you gone with the birthday preparation" he asked his secretary immediately the kids left.

"Well everything is set. I've paid the caterers and event planners. They'll start work tomorrow morning against your birthday in the evening" the secretary replied.

"That's not what I was talking about" Buchi said narrowing his eyes at his secretary.

"Oh sorry" the secretary replied nervously, fixing his glasses properly" I invited the state governor, the senators and other local government chairmen. If things go right, you've already started a ghost campaign for the governorship election coming up next year " he announced with a sinister smile.

"Hope you prepared the gift for the governor as planned?" Buchi asked, and his secretary nodded a reply. "Very good. You may leave now" he ordered waving his hands at his secretary. "Wait!" He called again, halting his secretary on his tracks. "One more thing. Invite my wife... and tell her to wear the red gown I got her"