Must Read: The Claw, The Tail, And The Cross. - Season 1 - Episode 34

7 years ago

Must Read: The Claw, The Tail, And The Cross. - Season 1 - Episode 34

It was a bright and sunny Saturday morning as Jenny and I walked towards the reception area of the Asaba international airport. The air condition was on full blast and chilling with everyone standing in groups waiting for their loved ones to alight from the plane that had just arrived. Jenny looked at me and pouted, holding tightly unto my arm.

“Today na today, I must see this Nina you are always talking about.” She said in mock aggression.

“Come, behave yourself oh, don’t make me regret carrying you along to meet her o!” I replied in like fashion.
She laughed and I smiled. ”Don’t worry,” she said. “I’ll be good. Besides, I’ve developed a liking for Mr. John, I didn’t know he could be such a gentleman.”

“Are you sure it’s not because he is the current acting M.D. of Leemen’s consulting? Remember what you said about being attracted to power.”

Jenny’s face fell a little.
“Poor Mr. Bells. I hope he gets over Sidney’s death alright. But he did appear better the last time we went to visit him at the hospital. Thank goodness the doctor said he was on his way to making a full recovery.”
“Yeah.” I said. “And he’ll be even happier hearing the good news of the firm being exonerated from the death of those fellows in the boardroom that day. It’s kind of like a blessing in disguise that the man-animal went on a rampage in other parts of town, and most people recognized him. They all simply believed him to be an extremely violent madman.”

Jenny nodded. “We were very lucky in a way. It could have gone much worse.” She tugged at my shirt. “How are Obi and Kelvin doing?”

“Kelvin has gone to visit his wife and kids.” I said. “He said something about taking one month’s leave and renewing his faith in God. Obi is still recovering at the hospital sha and doesn’t remember much about that night.”

“Has anyone said anything about Mr. Daniel yet?” she asked.

I looked at her, “It’s you I should be asking na.”

[B] “Nothing o,” she said, ” Nobody has even called, no relative, nothing. The employees remember him angrily leaving the premises on the day he was fired and that’s all.”

“And since more and more of his dubious past has been turning up since Mr. Bells started to investigate him, the police are saying he has probably gone into hiding.”
“Yep.” Jenny sighed.

A vendor passed and I saw something in the local newspaper.

Buying one, I opened it and read with Jenny at my shoulder:
‘Drug Use among our youths. A growing concern.’
‘A group of youths were detained at Area command in the early hours of this morning following reports by them of having seen a man fighting with a leopard and a mermaid, what in local parlance is called ‘mami-water.’ The youths said they had been attracted to the shores of the river Niger by gunshots that they had heard in the late hours of the night. They were said to have come to the scene, hoping to battle robbers but had met the bizarre fight between a man and a two tailed leopard. One of the youths was additionally reported to have sighted a mermaid watching from the river.

Further investigations by the policemen revealed that the youths had been smoking the usual marijuana and a thorough search of their persons revealed some more of the substance among their belongings. The youths are currently undergoing detoxification at the general hospital after which an NGO has decided to rehabilitate them.

In other news, motorists have once again urged the president to look into the matter of creating another bridge across the Niger as violent tremors were felt late last night as cars plowed the busy bridge…’

I wrapped up the newspaper and Jenny protested behind me.

“Hey, I hadn’t finished that.”

“She’s here.” I said.

Nina walked in through the entrance gate, carrying a brown leather bag with her. She was wearing a yellow sleeveless top with a blue denim jeans jacket wrapped around her gorgeous hips. Her dark blue jeans accentuated her beautifully shaped legs and ended with flat soled blue and white soft soled sneakers. She had braided her hair black and let it fall freely unto her shoulders. Her chocolatey skin shone with a beautiful radiance in the early morning sun and her smile radiated warmth even as she approached us.

Jenny let go of my arm and took a step back and I went forward to greet her. We hugged and I kissed her soft brown lips and she smiled shyly at me.

“ I take it you missed me.” She said in her sonorous voice.

“More than you’ll ever know.” I smiled back.

“Don’t look now,” she whispered, hugging me again, “But there’s a lady behind you looking at me like she’s going to have a stroke.”

I turned and saw Jenny still staring at Nina. I guessed what she was looking at and laughed.

“Nina, meet Jenny my online girlfriend.” I said. “Jenny, meet my heartthrob, Nina.”

“Whoa,” Nina exclaimed. “Chuks didn’t tell me you were so good looking. If I had known, I would have been here days ago!”
Jenny just stared.

“I’m kidding you know,” Nina said with a laugh. “Chuks told me how well you’ve been taking care of him…”

“Those are the biggest wings I have ever seen!” Jenny finally said.

Nina and I stared at her. I was actually glaring, not really staring. She caught my glare and came to her senses, sort of.

“Oh, I mean breasts! Those are the biggest breasts I’ve ever seen, I mean, not the biggest but…they really look good on you…

from a girl’s point of view…”
“Er, thanks?” Nina said and looked at me suspiciously. “You told her about when we met didn’t you?”

I grinned and Nina laughed. Jenny smiled and a messenger came and asked Nina to sigh for her luggage. As she did so Jenny whispered.
“You said she was an angel but I didn’t know you meant it literally!”

“Yeah, that’s another story.” I said. “Want to follow us to the hotel?”

“No thanks,” Jenny said, “I know what angels can do. I’m outta here.”
Aloud she said, “Okay Nina, welcome to Asaba. I have chartered a taxi that will take you and Chukwudi to your hotel room. I have to run along, some important issues to handle.”

“Okay, see you!” Nina said cheerfully as Jenny hurried out of the reception. Nina turned to me.

“She looked a little uncomfortable, didn’t she?”
“She’s jealous that you have come to take me from her.” I replied matter of factly.
“She should be o!” Nina said, “Did you see her Sekxy smile? I’m hanging on to you for the rest of this trip, I don’t want any sister to steal you from me!”
We both laughed and headed towards the exit area to the taxi that would take us to the hotel.

As I helped Nina into the car with her luggage,

I dipped my hand into my trouser pocket and felt the ring I had wrenched from the staff.

I tapped it lightly and removed my hand, intending on keeping it in a safe place.

As far as I was concerned, my Asaba adventure was over.

***THE END***

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