Chapter 37 AN ANTITHESIS OF EMOTIONS

Segun

If the girl you bang occasionally tells you you're going to become a father. . .

What would you do?

Whew!

Thank goodness that didn't happen.

But it did with the girl I've grown fond of --- the one that makes my heart go boom boom.

The one that makes my lil' boy . . .

Well, you get the picture.

Hmm!

I'd have probably done cartwheels across Lagos - Ibadan express way.

Problem with the above picture, is, there's no baby anymore.

Does that make me happy?

Yes and no.

I bet you're confused?!

You think I'm talking bull?

I wish.

Let me try and shed a little light on this somewhat, complicated situation of mine.

I woke up happy. One call from Dipo did that to me.

We had been looking for a viable site for out latest project.

After putting a lot of time, money and research into it, we finally decided to make it a dream come true -- build a humongous shopping complex, the likes Lagos has never seen before. Something like Shoprite, except much bigger.

Naturally, we aimed for buying land at Eko Atlantic city, an area that is virgin, raw and untamed. And so the bidding started.

Millions of naira flew from the mouth of the government representative. Money he could scarce afford, even in his dreams. I got impatient and Dipo got more patient, so I left it for him to finish the haggling, for that was what it was.

A month and two weeks later, we were told the other two interested parties had pulled out of the bidding, leaving Dipo and I as the only contenders.

Imagine my delight when Dipo told me the wind had blown in our favour. After all the time and planning, shit had started looking up for us.

So as usual, we decided to celebrate the only way we knew how. After all, it was a Friday and that meant party time in my dictionary. It'd been too long, if you asked me.

Little did I know I was in for a series of not - so pleasant surprises.

I was to meet Dipo at his place where I'd drop my car and we'd both go in his, to the club.

Ever since meeting Roxy's daughter and even going as far as helping her with her math homework, I hadn't stepped foot inside Dipo's house ever since.

I wasn't looking forward to meeting her again. I planned on staying outside to wait for Dipo.

Unfortunately, I couldn't even do that.

By the time I get to Dipo's place, I can hear all the ruckus from outside.

Fearing the worst, I step inside to see Femi cooking up a storm.

Why, you ask?

Why the fuck else?

At last, Fiku caught him with some girl.

But that isn't even the worst of it.

By the time she got back from work, tired and wanting some down time with her husband, she'd stepped into their bedroom, only to find Femi in a very uncompromising position with said strange girl.

Not only were they pants down, a certain body part inserted inside another, that nigger was on his bed --- same bed he shares with Fiku, in their damn house.

Talk about shit hitting the fan.

It brought the whole house down.

Fiku cried blue murder, took Femi's loaded gun to the stray girl's head and almost blew it off.

A tussle ensued and instead of a dead girl, a slightly handicapped one was taken to the hospital with a bullet scrape to the leg.

As affairs of the heart gone sour go, it didn't end there. Fiku threw Femi out and he's going bad shit crazy right now, because in his own words; "I can't live without Fiku."

"You should have thought about that before you slapped skins with some random chic in your own house. That was so stupid of you." I tell him, already bored with the drama.

Rounding on me with fury in his eyes, he fixes me with a stormy glare. "Says the guy who always crawls back into loony Chioma's bed. I bet she's a great lay."

Rage uncoils inside of me, threatening to engulf me, but I keep my cool and reply with surprising calm. "True. But I don't mind sharing. Although I'm not the one who cheated on his wife, so go blow steam off on someone else." I wave my hand in the air like I'm chasing away a pesky insect.

"Why, you --- " He tries to lunge at me, but Dipo cuts in, coming in between the two of us.

He wouldn't have stood a chance against me, anyway.

"Guys, guys. Relax, please. My daughter is at home. Let's take this outside."

Dipo expertly shepherds us outside where Femi continues throwing tantrums.

"I don't know what the fuck I was thinking, taking that chick back to my place. I could have taken her to one of my bachelor pads, instead. Fiku would never have found out."

"Are you listening to yourself, man. Don't you ever FUCKING learn? You SHOULDN'T even have fucked another girl in the first place."

Christ! That felt good, letting loose on him.

Been watching him tear through girl after girl. Now that the cat's out of the bag, he's upset he's been caught.

Seriously?

Such a dick!

Being rich clearly doesn't mean you can act so thoughtless, not to mention clueless.

And that's one of the reasons why I don't want to get married.

Staying faithful to one woman?

Just not for me.

Suddenly an image of Eve rears up unbidden, in my mind. I shake my head to get rid of it.

"You of all people have no right to talk to me that way. You fucking play boy." Femi spits at me suddenly.

That's all he's got --- playboy?

He tries to lunge at me once more, but I stand my ground and make motions with my hands for him to come at me.

"Try it, if you dare." I taunt, a smirk on my face.

"You two are acting pretty childish right now." Dipo turns to Femi with a lift of his brows. "Honestly Femi, don't try it, you'll never win against Segun. Trust me on that. Now let's move on. What you did was wrong, admit it. What you need now is damage control, so get in line and quit acting like a lil' bitch, capishe?"

Femi's shoulders slump in defeat. He nods and looks at me, an expression of regret on his face.

"I'm sorry."

"I know. Come here." I open my arms wide and we hug it out, pat each other on the back and move apart.

"Right! Now that's out of the way, let's see how we can contain this." Dipo looks pointedly at Femi, who looks quite hopeful as he stares back at him. "Since this is your first time she's caught you, then there's a chance of her for --- "

"It's not."

" --- giving you. There's a chance of her forgiving . . . Wait! What did you just say?"

Stunned silence charges the air and wraps us all up in a state of unbelief.

"I ... it's... um... shit!" Femi blunders, not able to get the words past his lips.

I try, but fail, to stop the laughter that burbles out of my mouth.

This is some hilarious shit, I tell you.

"YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THIS IS NOT YOUR FIRST TIME OF BEING CAUGHT PANTS DOWN?"

Dipo's screeching could have raised the dead.

Unfortunately, I don't get the chance to see Femi's reaction because my phone chooses this exact moment to ring shrilly.

What a shame!

I was just about to settle down to some reality show. Only thing missing would have been popcorn and soda.

"Y'ello." I mouth into my phone, without checking the caller ID.

All I can hear is static and indiscernible scratchy noise.

Listening closely, I hear heavy breathing. Sounds like someone is trying to creep me out.

As if that has ever worked.

"Alright I'm hanging up now. Go prank someone else." And I cut the call.

Now where were we?

Once more I center my attention on the on - going drama before me. Dipo is practically chewing off Femi's head with words, while Femi stands, looking like a lost soul.

Words like 'irresponsible, classless and foolish,' flow from his mouth.

He's clearly on a roll. Once he starts his lecture on 'responsibility,' there's no stopping him.

I'm about leaning against my car to get comfy, when my phone rings --- again.

This time I don't hold back on the prankster.

"For the love of all that is good, go look for someone else to pran ---"

"Se... Segun, please don't... don't cut the call. It's Chioma speaking."

"Chioma? What ---"

"I need your help Segun. I'm in jail. I... I need to get out of here real bad. Please, can you come."

I roll my eyes. Lately she's been looking for new ways to make me come over to see her.

First time she tried it, she lied she was ill and needed someone to take her to the hospital.

Just yesterday, she told me she she was locked in and needed me to get her out. On getting to her place, there was no such thing as her being locked in. I'd walked off in a huff.

Her latest tactic isn't going to work.

"What on earth are you sprouting about? I left you just yesterday evening. What ungodly thing could you have done between last night and this morning to land you in jail --- Rob a bank?" I chuckle, trying to make light of the situation.

"Please Segun, we can discuss what I did when you get here. Please, I just need you to come help me out of here, please."

That's a lot of pleases. Coming from Chioma, it must really be serious.

Sighing with resignation, I ask for the name of the police station. When she gives it to me, I hang up with a promise to come soon. After pocketing my phone, I face the duo before me.

Femi is gazing somberly at his shoes, while Dipo is scrolling through his phone.

Hold up!

Did I miss something?

No more chewing Femi's head off?

"Guys! What's happening here?'

Still scrolling through his phone, Dipo jerks a finger towards Femi. "Looking for a gift for this one."

Gift?

He looks up to see me looking aghast at him.

"Oh! Not for him. For his wife."

But I'm still confused. "Why would you want to give Femi's wife a gift?"

Dipo raises his brows and shakes his head. "What's wrong with you this evening? You're pretty slow. Catch up already. It's not me giving his wife a gift, I'm just helping to find a gift so Femi can give her the gift. Understand now?"

"Oh okay! Yeah, yeah I get it now. Unfortunately, I gotta go. Something just came up, but I'll meet you at club zero later." Turning to Femi. "You on the other hand, have some serious making up to do with Fiku."

He just grunts and continues looking at his shoes.

Shaking my head, I walk off to my car.

So damn clueless!

Not long after, I'm at kirikiri police station, being led to see Chioma.

What the fuck could she have done to land her in jail. Especially in a place like this.

I'm led inside a tiny dingy room that looks decrepit. I'm guessing this is the interrogation room. The lighting is poor and half of the room is clothed in darkness, thanks to the dim bulb hanging low from the ceiling.

Hot air wraps me up like a cloak and I haven't even been here up to a minute.

The door opens to reveal the pot - bellied police man who led me in here. He is quickly flagged by . . .

Chioma?

She cuts a very pathetic figure as she shuffles inside. Her hands and feet are bound in chains, making it difficult for her to walk.

The police man pushes her unceremoniously into a seat and fixes a baleful stare at me.

"Oga, Na only five minutes you get to talk to am o. (You've only got five minutes)"

I nod and thank him. I had to part with a thousand naira before he could allow me see her, so I might have to part with another one to gain extra time.

Judging from the way she's been shackled, I'm sure her crime must be pretty bad. This leads me to wonder what landed her here in the first place.

Once the rickety door closes behind the police man, Chioma lifts her head up and I gasp.

The transformation is shocking, to say the least.

She looks likes she's aged at least five years. Her eyes look soulless. Dead, more like, and her dress --- it was the one she wore yesterday. If my memory serves me well, it was cream coloured. Now one would think it's natural colour is dark brown, tending towards black.

"Please. . . water." She looks parched. Actually, she looks drained.

I'm on my feet in an instant and out the door. Minutes later, I'm back with a 100cl bottle of water. I practically force it down her mouth, even though most of it pours onto her dress.

When she's somewhat sated, she leans exhaustedly against the chair.

At this juncture, I'm itching to know what got her in this mess in the first place.

After some minutes of tapping my fingers impatiently against the chair, she looks at me, a ghost of a smile gracing her lips. and then she opens her mouth to speak, spilling a can of worms in the process.

"I was arrested for causing E. . . Eve's accident and . . . and killing her child."

At the mention of Eve's name, my heart rate speeds up and I shoot up from my chair with rocket launching speed.

"Wh . . . what? You caused her acci --- !"

"She was pregnant for you. But, you have to believe I. . . I didn't do it, I could never hurt anyone. Yes, I'm all talk but no action. I would never hurt anyone, not even her. You've got to believe me."

She had me at 'pregnant for you,' the rest of her words never registered.

"What did you just say? Eve. . . pregnant for me? Is this some kind of fucking joke, Chioma, 'cause from where I'm standing, it's not looking funny."

The sides of her mouth lift up in a smile or a grimace. Not sure, because her next words send cold dread through me.

"You never did like me, did you? You always treated me like crap and I took it because I love you. And I thought, maybe, just maybe if I stuck around long enough, you'd see me --- like really see me, the girl that loves you and wants to be with you forever."

"Are you seriously talking about being in love with me when you just told me Eve is pregnant for me?"

She looks at me with lost eyes and sighs. "WAS pregnant, not anymore. She lost it."

Suddenly, my throat feels constricted. I stumble back, clutching my chest.

I don't know whether to feel happy, sad, dissapointed or just plain upset. I just don't know how or what the heck to feel, frankly.

My knees almost buckle under me and I sink back into the recently vacated chair.

"L . . lost? H. . . how?"

I need to see her. I need to get outta here.

Before she can give me a reply, I jump up and begin running out, one hand already reaching for my phone to dial Eve's number.

"Pick up, princess, please pick up."

With jittery fingers, I jump into my car and begin driving to her place. Several times I stop on the side of the road because I can't focus on anything, except Chioma's words.

Eve was pregnant for you. She lost it.

Why didn't you tell me? Why did you keep me in the dark about our baby?

The answer hits me like a punch to my guts. Sharp and painful.

I never really made her feel wanted. If anything, I pushed her away and made things worse by telling her to forget about me in the hospital --- while she was still recuperating. From the loss of our baby. Stupid! So damn stupid!

I begin hitting my head --- sharp taps of my palms against my cranium. This goes on for some seconds, until I see stars.

My heart keeps beating a staccato inside my chest. Taking several deep breaths, I will myself to get a grip.

After what feels like forever, I'm able to get myself under some semblance of control and continue the torturous journey to Eve's place.

Twenty minutes later and I'm face to face with her mum.

But Eve isn't home.

Camping outside her house for hours proves fruitless because she doesn't show up.

Where the fuck did she go?

It's getting to almost evening time and she's been away for almost the whole damn day.

Does she do this everyday?

More important question is, who is she hanging out with?

If I get a hold of him. . .

I'll wring his neck.

Break his nose. . .

And twist his guts.

I feel sharp pin pricks penetrate my skin and I look down to see my nails digging ridges into my palms.

I slowly unclench my fists to allow blood circulation through, and continue waiting.

As I wait, my mind slips to places unknown. To directions unchartered.

I wonder what it would be like --- feel like, to have a child with Eve. I bet it'd be a girl.

Would she have the colour of her mother's skin --- golden caramel, or would she be dark skinned, like me.

Would she have a sweet disposition like her mum or would she be wild and free like me. I'd definitely tame her behind if she were like me, no doubt about that.

We'd have a house in the city, one with a picket fence . . .

Naah! A gate would be perfect.

Oh it would most definitely be a gate alright. A large black gate with no - see - though bars and a bold sign pasted on it reading: NO TRESPASSING in bold lettering, so as to keep out male contenders vying for Eve and my daughter.

We'd seat in the compound in the evening holding hands and then I'd kiss her pink lips and hold her tight and when things get heavy we'll go back insi. . .

And that's how we made our 'lost' child in the first place.

Not about to go down that road again with thoughts like this . . .

But my mind is already slipping, as it usually does with Eve.

So I let it wander. . .

If there wasn't this great chasm between us, I'd lose my hands in her hair, kiss her lips like I did the first time and slide my hands a couple inches lower --- touch her the way I know makes her fall apart.

I shake myself out of my errant thoughts and continue calling her number.

After the twentieth time of 'the number you're calling is not available, please try again later,' I give up and call Dipo instead, to get Ebere's number. Maybe she's with Ebere.

She picks up on the third ring.

"Ebere speaking."

"Ebere! Ebere! Please where's your friend? Where's Eve? I ... did you know she was pregnant? She was pregnant for me. She was going to have my baby, but she lost it in an accident." My words come out in a garbled rush.

"Who is speaking?" A note of suspicion creeps into her voice. "Is this Segun?"

"Please, where are you? I need to see you. I need to speak with you." My voice comes out harried. Urgent.

"Okay, okay. Calm down. Just calm down please. I'm at Dipo's place. Can you manage to drive yourself over?"

Do animals have tails? Fuck yeah, I'll do more than manage.

"I'll be there soon." I reply tersely and cut the call.

In a daze, I drive back to Dipo's place, knowing fully well I'll have to come face to face with remnants of my troubled past while having to face my confused present.

Yet, I have no option.

As I walk into Dipo's modest bungalow, I feel like turning back, but I firm up my mind and keep walking on.

As soon as Ebere see's me, she shoots up from the couch where she's been reclining, whispers into Roxy's daughter's ear and rushes to meet me half way.

Roxy's daughter nods and walks away, probably to go play in her room.

"Sit! Come sit." She guides me to the chair, plants herself beside me and fixes a wide eyed gaze on me. "What is this you mention about Eve being pregnant?"

So I relate everything Chioma told me to her.

When I'm done, I see the blatant play of emotions on Ebere's face as her eyes grow three times in size. Suddenly, they narrow and she looks at me.

"I don't believe one word of what that piranha said to you. No way! Eve is my best friend, she would have told me if she so much as missed her period."

"I'm afraid Eve kept this one important piece of information from you." I reply, exhaustion seeping into me. "I'm just coming from the police station and from the looks of things, Chioma paints a very convincing story."

Silence reigns after the words fall from my lips. Outside, lightening flashes, illuminating the surroundings as well as Ebere's wide eyed gaze on me.

I'm sure my face mirrors her looks.

An impending storm is coming, mirroring the feelings in my heart.

"So Eve was pregnant!" Ebere's words come out hushed, almost reverent.

Not trusting myself to speak, I nod.

She sinks her head in her hands. None too soon, she looks up and I watch in mock fascination, as a myriad of emotions race across her face, until one takes precedence. I see the finality in her look and I know a decision has been made.

"I'm going to have a serious discussion with her. Meanwhile, you're going to have to go back to the police station to talk to Chioma, get more information from her. She's going to fess up or so help me God ---" She let's her statement hang.

"You took the words right out of my mouth. If I find out she so much as hurt Eve . . ." I shake my head. "I'll probably end up in jail myself, because I'll do something to her we'll both regret."

As I stand up and make to leave, her words stop me in my tracks.

"You love her, don't you? There's no need denying it now."

Her words hit me below the belt.

I don't need a crystal ball to know she's talking about Eve.

Instead of replying, I walk back to the chair and lower myself into it.

"There's no shame in admitting it, you know. I just hope it's not too late for the both of you."

"Wha. . . What do you mean?"

"Nothing." She shrugs. "Except that when you leave weeds in your farm for too long, they tend to override the actual crops."

I stare at her for some long seconds, trying to piece her words together.

"You don't mean ---"

She nods, a look of sorrow on her face.

"I better get going now. After I've extracted the news from Chioma, I'll go see Eve. One way or another I'm going to make her listen to me."