Bright Future 2

Chapter 17

Edith and Dera continued on with their chitchat over another glass of champagne, discussing about work, personal life and then work again. They were both at ease with themselves, confiding in one another. This personal period was rather short lived as Dera's phone began to ring. She glanced at it and soon a small smile began to form on her face, as she realized who was calling.

"It's him isn't it?" Edith asked knowingly and Dera nodded in reply, still grinning.

"I'll have to get this. It might be important." She said as she moved further away from Edith.

"Hello?" Buchi's voice came impassively as she picked the call.

"Yes hello?"

"Good evening, Dera." He greeted curtly, but politely "I'll be getting to the point now." he announced softly. "I have news from the governor. He wants to meet you tomorrow" he conveyed his message, paused for a brief moment, then continued" And I apologize on his behalf if it feels out of the blue." he apologized, speaking more on his own accord now.

"No I don't mind... but why does he want to meet me?"

"I guess he wants to discuss about your project."

"Oh okay. That makes sense."

"Very well then. Goodbye." Buchi said before hanging up, puzzling Dera. It felt odd to her that he was talking smoothly and all business-like as if nothing had happened yesterday. She did not like him being curt with her either. It made her feel like she was being eagerly dismissed.

Dera walked out of The Continental Hotel gracefully, rocking a matching white blouse and skirt. Her attire was complimented with a white purse but black sun shades instead. She kept her head high as she walked elegantly towards the Sleek black Mercedes-Maybach S600 Pullman Guard, waiting patiently for her. Her lithe footsteps spoke volumes of how at ease she was with her perfect body. The chauffeur held the door open for her as she entered the car, then he scurried towards the driver's side.

"You're quite on time. Impressive." Buchi acknowledged, impressed.

"What's impressive?"

"You being able to meet up on a very short notice."

"Oh okay." Dera muttered as she adjusted properly on her seat. "So does it have a name?" She asked meaningfully, as she stared about the limo, impressed by how luxurious it was.

"No it doesn't. It's just a car." Buchi replied, ending the conversation. They were silent for a while before the car began to move.

"Here" Buchi offered handing Dera a neck pillow. "It's going to be a long ride. You might need to start getting comfortable."

"Thank you, but I had other plans." Dera replied as she collected the pillow, leaving Buchi with a quizzical look on his face.

"What plans?"

"I have questions that need answers." Dera replied boldly but politely — extremely.

"I don't mind you being inquisitive" Buchi shrugged.

"Cool. So we'll start with the basics." Dera began. "How many kids do you have?"

"Three." Buchi replied curtly, but Dera scowled at him, displeased by his attitude. "What?" He shrugged?

"You're not giving out enough information." She replied, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Oh great! An interrogation." Buchi muttered then resumed with his answer. "I have three kids. You've probably met the first one, Champion." He muttered, being careful not to remind her about the incident that happened that night. "There's Treasure. She's my princess. And then there's the little tiger, Strength."

"So why did you join politics? I never pegged you as one to be interested in it." Dera moved on to the next question.

"What did you peg me to be interested in?" Buchi chuckled softly.

"A computer programmer or software engineer. I don't know, just anything related to computer or engineering as a whole. You were great with programming back then."

"Yes I was, but it was just a hobby. I never had intentions to further it. What I was really interested in was Law; and I pursued it in my first year, then switched to Political Science in my second."

"Why?"

"My interest had shifted from Law to politics."

"Why?" Dera pressed on.

"While most of y'all studied abroad, I studied in the Nigerian University; and it was then that I got to see this country as it truly was. Not in the facade Bright Future Schools had visualized, nor the false impressions that had been rooted in me from growing up in a luxurious home. Attending a Nigerian University gave me the opportunity to witness the corruption in this country and understand that the cycle would always continue if nothing was done to stop it. It came to me as a burden and I carried it on my shoulders, tasking myself to liberate this country."

"You're quite ambitious." Dera muttered.

"Maybe, but what really matters is that I establish my vision."

"And you are." Dera couldn't help but agree. "Alright, the next question. How did you get this rich?" She asked out of curiosity.

"Well my in laws did the most part and I, the rest, from mining the Nigerian economy a little." Buchi explained

"What do you mean?" Dera asked, confused.

"Never mind. You wouldn't understand if I explained."

"Okay... so speaking about your in laws, why does Jennifer run a charity organization?" Dera asked again, but Buchi narrowed his eye at her in return.

"C'mon Jennifer's not a monster. Anyone can decide to help the less privileged." He defended.

"True, but their should be a motive at least. A reason."

"Fine!" Buchi surrendered. "She said it was her way of seeking redemption from something terrible she did in the past." He confessed.

"What did she do?"

"I don't know? She wouldn't disclose it." Buchi shrugged. Dera attacked him again with tons of questions which he answered patiently till they finally arrived at the governor's place.

Pulling up before a grande immaculate mansion, known as the 'Abia State Government House', Dera and Buchi alighted from the Maybach with the chauffeur holding the door for them. Buchi sauntered purposefully towards the entrance door guarded heavily by the DSS, carrying a briefcase, while Dera followed behind him, in her always elegant manner. They were stopped at the entrance door by the DSS agents, then allowed in after all security protocols were observed.

"You're quite on time!" The governor observed, as they approached him. He had his signature wolfish grin, plastered on his face as always.

"Yes, your excellency. If we'd get on with it. There's not much time to spare." Buchi demanded, fixing his impassive gaze on the bigman.

"Always eager, this kid." The governor acknowledged. "We'll talk... but after we eat." The governor requested, ogling Dera.

"We're already full, your excellency." Buchi declined the offer.

"We will EAT FIRST." The governor interjected curtly. He signalled them to follow him, once Buchi did not object him anymore.

The three ate from the assorted foods on the dining as the governor rambled casually about politics. Dera and Buchi did not bother to join him; except on minor occasions, when they felt they were needed to say something. The Billionaire Vodka Buchi got the governor on his birthday did not go unnoticed too. The bigman had placed it elegantly at the center of the table to be taken later, once they were done with the meal. All the while they ate, the governor could not stop himself from ogling Dera. After what seemed like ages, the feast finally came to an end and the table was cleared immediately by the maids. The governor served his guest from the Billionaire Vodka, pouring the delicious crisp liquid into their glasses, filling it to the brim, then they began to talk business.

"If I may, your excellency?" Buchi requested as he dropped his briefcase gently on the table.

"What's that?" The bigman asked curiously.

"A gift for you." Buchi replied faking a smile.

"Woah kid. This isn't necessary." The bigman chuckled, pretending to be less interested in what was contained in the box.

"You're my top priority, Sir. Nothing is unnecessary when it comes to you." Buchi exalted him.

"Very well then. You sure know how to please someone." The governor acknowledged once more. With that, Buchi produced a walking staff from the box and handed it over to the governor.

"She got it for you." Buchi lied, catching both Dera and the governor by surprise. "I hope you like it, Sir?" He asked, referring to the walking staff.

"Preposterous! Of course I do." The governor replied, bemused. "Wait is this what I think it is?" The governor asked perplexed, as he noticed the elaborate, round lustrous stone used as the handle, and Buchi nodded in reply.

"Carbonado. Black diamond."

"And this?" The governor asked again, pointing at the collar, and Buchi nodded in affirmation again.

"An immaculate, real white alligator leather." He replied, leaving the bigman stunned. "And the shaft down to the heel is made of Black gold. An alloy of twenty-four karat gold and cobalt." He added. The governor was completely stunned now. He tried several times to expel the feeling, but he failed miserably. The gift was just too overwhelming.

"Woah! Both of you are really something else." The governor finally exclaimed, after bridging the very huge chasm between his vocal chord and medulla oblongata.

"Our aim to please you is top notch, your excellency." Buchi flattered him, flashing a fake smile.

"I can testify." The governor acknowledged, still grinning. "By the way, I sent for you, so we could discuss properly about your real estate project." The governor announced, shifting his gaze to Dera. "Son, you've looked into her project properly, right? Hope it's all good? No foul game?" The governor enquired from Buchi.

"Yes, your excellency."

"Good." The bigman concurred, nodding his head. "I have a plan. That's why I asked you to come too." He announced, paused for a while then continued. "I want this project to be commissioned in your name. I want you to take all the glory. It'd look really nice in your campaign manifesto." He revealed his plans, putting a serious look on his face now. Buchi went mute, as he contemplated over the matter, wondering why the governor was suddenly generous. The governor was not one to do something without wanting something in return.

"What do you want in return?" Buchi asked boldly, understanding the fact that the governor would never give something for free.

"The right hand washes the left, and the left, the right." The bigman replied meaningfully, and Buchi understood him immediately. "I help you win the governorship elections next year, and you help me enter the senatorial house." The bigman elucidated.

"Very well then, your excellency." Buchi agreed, clasping hands with the bigman in a handshake. "If that's all then..." He concluded as he rose to his feet and Dera followed suit.

"Son, you're always eager." The bigman regarded him, wearing the wolfish grin again. "Stay for a while longer." The governor requested.

"I'm sorry your excellency, but time is against us. We need to be on our way now." Buchi declined the offer.

"Very well then. I'll just see you off, eh?" The governor said, rising to his feet too. Buchi nodded in reply and they began to walk towards the exit. The governor walked with them, rambling about politics, and at the same time clinging too close to Dera. He harbored amorous feelings in his heart for her. Buchi and Dera noticed all his shenanigans individually, but decided to turn a blind eye. The governor continued in this manner as they sauntered towards the exit, then he tried crossing his arm about Dera's waist, but Buchi stopped him. He grabbed the bigman by the arm and yanked him away from her roughly. It happened so fast that Dera nor the governor did not even have time to react.

"What are you doing kid? Let go!" The governor ordered nervously, but Buchi did not reply him; instead, he tightened his grip about the governor's arm, forcing him to wince in pain. He glowered at the governor with hate filled eyes.

"Please." The governor begged, before Buchi finally released him.

"I'm sorry your excellency." Buchi apologized for his behavior. "The thing is that you can't just touch a woman like that. Especially a foreigner. You wouldn't want to ruin our image, would you?" Buchi explained the reason behind his actions, trying his best to sound as calm as possible — even after lying.

"Oh, but you didn't mention she was a foreigner."

"I thought you'd figure out from her accent."

"That's true. I'm very sorry Ms. Forgive me please." The governor apologized to Dera and she nodded in reply. "Goodbye then." He said waving at them, refusing to go any further. "And Oh, I'll have my secretary forward my bank details to you." He informed them.

"No problem, your excellency." Buchi replied and they left.

The chauffeur held the door for them as they entered the Maybach, and a few minutes later, they were speeding away from the premises of the Government House.

"Thank you for what you did for me back there." Dera thanked Buchi.

"Don't thank me. I just did the right thing." Buchi shrugged.

"Thank you for the gift too."

"It was nothing." He replied curtly, ending the conversation. They traveled in awkward silence for a great deal of time, before Dera finally spoke again.

"You don't seem to be fond of him." She began.

"Fond of who?"

"The governor."

"Yes I'm not."

"Why?"

"He stands as everything I dispise." Buchi sighed, closing his eyes momentarily. "He's loathsome. Immoral. I just hate him. I can't stand the sight of him."

"Hate is quite a strong word." Dera admonished him.

"It doesn't matter. That's just how I feel about him." Buchi shrugged. "I couldn't even stand him ogling you." He confessed, finally shifting his gaze to meet hers. Dera was silent as she stared back at him, struggling within herself to come up with a suitable reply, but none came. They stared at each other for a while, inching their faces closer by each second, till their lips finally met and they began to kiss a slow passionate kiss. The kiss grew gradually into an intense one, building slow but steadily till Buchi finally broke the kiss.

"Why did you stop?" Dera enquired, flustered.

"This isn't right." Buchi breathed the words, and Dera scowled at him as she adjusted properly on her seat.

"We need to do something about this, since we'll be working together" She muttered.

"About what?"

"Your libido and my hormones." She snapped, but Buchi did not reply her. He understood she was upset; and no words were exchanged between them as they continued with the rest of the journey.