Anike Episode 9 A week later, my sister called again and told me my mummy’s friend threw them out of the house, they now sleep in a nearby church compound. I knew we can’t continue like this, so I made up my mind that if selling my b©dy will put smiles on my families face once again and end this suffering, then so be it. I waited for Happy to come back from her boutique, I did not even allow her to rest before I bring up the issue. “Happy I think I’m re-ady, my mum and siblings are really suffering” “Are you sure” she asked a and I told her my mind is made up. “I have one big offer for you” She said and I listened with ra-pt attention. There is this man I met in Abuja, although I’ve known him for some time now. His name is Admiral Gabriel Alawode, A high rank Navy, he’s also a Prince, I heard he’s father is a first clas-s king in south west. He’s divorced with two kids, the kids lived abroad with their mum. He is 52years, he doesn’t want to remarry but he wants a young girl to keep as a companion. Though he travels a lot but he wants someone around him whenever he’s in the country. “Why a young girl?” “He doesn’t want anyone who will start demanding marriage. He knows a young girl won’t want marriage from him” “Anike, Prince Alawode is wealthy. I can’t d@t£ him, so I rejected the offer” “Why?” “I can’t stick to just one person, I don’t want to be anyone’s property. I’ll feel tra-pped especially with that his age. I can still manage if he’s 40” “Why do you want to introduce me to this p@rticular one and not the younger ones” She smiled. “Smart question. Like I said earlier, you know you…(she gestured with her hands) you are a good girl and I know you won’t like to sleep around with random men. But with the money this man has, you’ll be okay with him alone, he will take care of you and all your responsibilities. He doesn’t sleep around that’s why he wants just one person who will be committed to him alone” “Hmm! I sighed heavily. I’m 22 Happy, that man is same with my late father!” “I know this is not easy to take in at once, it’s not an easy decision to take but this is the best offer for your kind of person” she said “I heard most of this men are ritualist, you won’t want me to fall into the hands of a ritualist, would you?” “He’s not a ritualist Anike, he’s an Ad…mi….ral, Anike. Admiral of the fleet…the highest rank in Navy and he also works hand in hand with the government. I heard highest ranked navy are highly paid, their basic salary is #16million or so, aside the salary they are still entitled to some money, and they earns close to #30million at the end of the month” she explained. He’s into oil and g@s too. He has many filling stations across the states. Aside that he also has one or two political as-signments with the federal government. So I leave you to guess the rest. “Jesus! In this country? And they say there is recession” “Recession only affect the mas-ses my dear” “Really, then recession can’t affect people like that” “Should I call him now?” “No, not now, let me sleep over it” “I un-derstand, take your time” She said patting my back. That evening I repla-yed my discussion with Happy. I’m no longer that slim 100 level Anike, Yes, I’ve added flesh in the right places. I’ve grown up to be a beautiful young woman with a shinning dark skin, average height and a very nice b©dy structure that could get any man’s attention. But I never dreamt of using my precious b©dy in exchange for money. I remembered how beautiful my life was before I lost my father and I cried. I remembered my friend Tinuke, I wanted to tell her about it, but I’m sure she won’t like the idea. I remembered my lost love too, Olamilekan. And I wept, Olamilekan can’t help me, Tinuke cant help me, they are still depending on their parents. Happy is right, nob©dy can help my family except I stand up to the task. It’s time to grow up, I can no longer be that Daddy’s little girl. It’s high time I embr@ce reality. The next day, I told Happy, I was re-ady to take the offer. “Good, you will thank me later Anike. That I’m sure off” “If you say so”. She brou-ght out her wallet and retrieved a business card from it. “I only have his office line, I don’t have his personal line, but the call will be directed to him” she said. She called the office line and it was picked by his secretary. She placed the call on speaker. “Hello, Admiral Gabriel Alawode’s office how may I help you” the voice said. “I’d like to speak with Admiral Alawode” She said feigning accent. “Name plea-se?” “Happy, from s£nator Nwannze his friend” “He’s not on sit, but I’ll forward the call to his PA, just hold on for a some minutes” “Hello, this is the PA to Admiral Gabriel Alawode, how may I help you?” Happy repeated herself. “He’s on a call, plea-se hold on. “Ok” After some minutes we heard the PA’s voice. “He said he’ll call back” he said, then the line went off. “He’ll callback, maybe he’s still on call” Happy said. “So much protocol!” I said “People like him are not easy to reach except you have their personal line” Some minutes later, he called back. Happy picked it and placed the call on speaker, so I could here their conversation. “Happy how are you” he said with a rich baritone voice. “I’m fine sir, I always trip at the sound of your voice” she said tea-singly. I like that voice too,I must confess. “Don’t flatter me, hope you’ve agreed to my offer, I believe that’s the reason you call” “Sir, I have two news” “Let’s hear it” he said “Like I said earlier I’m not interested and I’m very sorry for turning you down. I’m elated that you could think of me for such offer, but I can’t” “No problem, I respect your opinion. So what’s the other news?” “I got you someone” “Happy don’t worry, you don’t have to do that. It’s you I want, since you are not in, then its fine” “You’ll like her, I promise” “I don’t want just anyb©dy” “She’s not just anyb©dy, just meet her first, then you can decide if you want her or not” “Happy you know girls and their saucy behavior, I don’t want a girl that will give me high blood pressure or those who will expo-se my pri-vate life to the world. You know I’m not a fan of Paparazzi” “Admiral Alawode….I’m not just giving you any girl, she keeps her pri-vate life pri-vate. She’s not a runs girl, she’s doing this because of financial problems” “Really, I hope she won’t misbehave later, when she had everything she wanted” “I promise you she won’t fall my hand” “Fine, bring her to Abuja on Friday. I’ll s£nd a driver to pick you up at the airport” “No I can’t come with her, I have plans for Friday sir” “You! Those are the people who made you reject my offer right, don’t worry go and meet them” She laughed because the man was right. “Just s£nd your address, she’ll find her way” “That not necessary, I’ll book her flight, the driver will be waiting for her at the airport when she arrived” “Nice, it’s ok then” “s£nd me your account details, I’ll s£nd some money for both of you” “Thank you sir, see you when I see you bye” “Good bye, thanks so much” “You are welcome bye” she said and hung up. “You heard everything right, once he s£nd the money, you’ll go for shopping, visit the spa, fix your hair, do your pedicure and manicure. You just have to look great, you must impress him” She said with a wi-de smile plastered on her face. “I’m scared” “Don’t be, trust me you are in good hands” Episode 10 Admiral Gabriel Alawode transferred #400k into Happy’s account. She transferred 200k into my account. I started preparing for Friday, she took me to the spa, fixed my hair, bought make up although I’m not the heavy make up type, but she f0rç£d me to buy it. I also bought some clothes from her boutique which she picked for me herself. She even gave me discount. As I was packing on Friday morning, I got a call from the president of my school fellowsh!p, we talked for a while and he said we’ll see on Sunday to continue the discussion. I told him, I won’t be in church on Sunday, he asked why and I told him I have a function to attend, I lied. I ended the call. It now dawn on me that I’m alre-ady backsliding gradually, Sin will always breeds more sin. You will always nee-d a lie to cover up another lie. I know I’m about to embark on a journey that will ruin my relationsh!pwith God. I wonder how I’ll tell a man I sle-pt with over night that I’m going to church on Sunday, I’m sure he’ll laugh me to scorn. I wore a Turquoise blue b©dycon midi go-wn and applied little make up. I picked up my alre-ady packed bag, wore a high heels sandal and left for the airport. My plane landed at exactly 5:45pm on Friday. That was my first time in Abuja. Happy did not have Admiral Alawode’s personal number, so there was no one to call except her, I was still looking around, then my phone rang, it was Happy. She told me to go to the parking lot, that the driver is waiting for me, she gave me the color of the car and plate number. I located the car and tapped the window, the driver whined down the glas-s. “Hi, I’m Anike, Admiral Alawode’s guest” He unlocked the back door and I entered. I alighted and behold a mighty building, the exterior was beautiful and perfect and I wondered what the interior would look like. All the staffs in the house are all on navy uniform, the driver, gateman and the securities at each door post. I guess they are low rank officers. I was ushered into the house by one of the officers who offered me a sit and told me to make myself comfortable. I was told Admiral Alawode was not around. The sitting room was oozing wealth the chandelier hanging on the room is heavenly. The Plasma TV can serve in a cinema, I’ve never seen such large screen before. Every thing in that house smells money. I was offered a drink which I declined. The chef also c@m£ out to ask what I’d like to eat, I told him I was ok. I was scared of been drugged. Too much of Nollywood film, I thought. I diverted my attention to the TV, just to distract myself a little from my evil thoughts and nervousness. Few minutes to 7pm I heard sirens, the owner of the house is back, my heart almost jumped out of my mouth. All the staffs inside were all on attention. I was stunned when I saw him walked into the house in his all white Navy Uniform, I doubt if this man is 52 he was looking so young, then I remembered money does magic. He’s d–n handsome. He’s chocolate skin was so fresh and glowing. I doubt if he walks un-der the sun. I take a closer look at him, he could pas-s for one of our handsome veteran Nollywood actor. I wondered if they are in anyway related. His voice brou-ght me back to the pres£nce world. “Hello young Lady” “Good evening sir” “Anike right?” I guessed Happy gave him my name. “Yes sir” I said not feeling too comfortable around him. He looked at me for some seconds. From the look on his face I can’t judge whether he likes me on not. “How was your trip?” he asked “It was fine sir” I replied with a little bow. “Nice to meet you, I’m Admiral Gabriel Alawode” He extended his hand for a handshake and I took it” “The plea-sure is mine sir” “Do make your self comfortable, if you nee-d anything just tell any of them” he said pointing to his men. He called on one of his men. “Show her to the guest room” he said and left with one of the officers, who held like four phones and a bag. I think that’s his PA or he’s right hand man. I was taken to the guest room, it was tastefully furnished too, with sofa, plasma TV like 32”. It also has a beautiful paintings on the wall. The be-d is large and the mattress is soft. I settled down and kept my things in the wardrobe, I took my bath and changed into a green sleeveless go-wn a little below my knee. An hour later, I was told dinner is re-ady, I was to join Admiral Alawode in the dinning. I was very nervous but I tried to mask my fears. I met him alre-ady sitting at the dinning, I was nervous, I sat beside him quietly. There are different kinds of food on the dinning table, the dinning was the glas-s rotating type, you just spin it to the food you want and serve yourself. Local dishes, intercontinental dishes, different kinds of meet, everything was there. I spinned the glas-s center tray and picked a wra-p of semi and I took vegetable soup that was garnished with pomo, stock fish, as-sorted meat, and crayfish. The meat was so big that I had to just pick one. He served himself too, I did not bother to check his food. I just ate quietly beside him, thinking of my family. I wondered if they’ve eating this evening. I finished my food and He asked if I was OK and I said yes. “Have a wonderful night rest, I’ll see you tomorrow” he said and stood up. I was surprised, I thought we were supposed to sleep together. “Good..good night sir” I replied. I left the dinning too almost immediately. I went to the guest room. I was happy nothing is happening that night at least even if my b©dy will be defiled, its not tonight. Although I was still surprised at his actions, may be he did not like me. I concluded. I took my phone and called Happy, I explain the situation of things to her. “I don’t think he likes me” I said to her “Anike calm down and have a good night rest, if he doesn’t like you, he’ll re-lease you tomorrow morning. Although he called me some minutes ago and he didn’t mention anything like that” “Did he say anything about me?” “Yes, I’ll tell you when you are back” “Tell me now, plea-se….. “Noooo later, good night Anike” “Good night” I called my mum also, I talked with her and my siblings. I’m very sure she will pray for me that night, she would tell God to protect me in my room not knowing I’m un-der a man’s roof in Abuja. I wish she could change her prayer to father protect my daughter wherever she may be’ I l@yon my be-d to sleep, I was about to say my prayers as usual and guilt held me back. I f0rç£d myself to pray, I doubt if God is listening. I know the prayer of a sinner or about to be sinner is an abomination before God. I sle-pt for few hours before 2am I was up, I was just rolling in be-d. I turned my phone on, on my data I replied some messages. I log into the site where I re-ad stories. I have some stories I was following. I re-ad all the recent upd@t£s. I dose off around 5am
Tbc