This is really good OP

Bounces into thread, takes a look around taking in the the mammoth crowd all scattered around streaming the story. Turns around with the intention of moving off but stops suddenly at the door,

"What in the world of bikini bottom will make this crowd to be gathered in a newly created thread as this", he pondered, "hmmmmmmmmmm", he sighed stroking his chin.

"Well", he shrugged, "only one way to find out". With each forward movement, Xavier5 moved into the thread, scanning around for any available seat but alas all seats were taking, despair taking over him but just at the brink of giving up he saw Safarigirl, the OP get up to probably use the rest room, rough guess. He intrepidly walked to her now empty sit and authoritatively sat on it. All eyes turned to him in question.

"Don't worry, we're together", he said to the crowd who responded with some shrugging while others murmured but they all went back to streaming. He starts reading.

"Ohhhmmmmm, excuse me", a voiced said interrupting him. He raised his face to see who's that, puff, it's Safarigirl, the OP.

"That's my sit", she said giving him the look

"Ohhhhhhhhh my bad, never knew", he replied

"Well you know now, so?"

"Ehhhhhhhhhh, about that", he paused, "the hall is filled up and you know I'm a follower, seriously this story is dope. This is your story, this is your thread, you know, I think you should do something about it, create more space", he said

"You don't want to chase a fan out neither do you want him to sit on the floor", he said and pouted. She looked at him amazed at his guts but pondered on his words afterwards.

"You know, you're right. I will create more space. I will inform one of the Mods to do something about it but you know I've got to update"

"Ermmm about that, I think we can work this out"

"And what's that", she quizzed, raising a brow

"Why don't I lap you?", He proposed

"What the......."

"Fvck?", He cut her off

"Listen young man, you really got some guts and it's getting on my nerves"

"That's the only way, you don't want to send me out and you want to update before you call the Mods to create space, so?", He reasoned. She stared at him, anger and frustration all over her face. She stared around, the readers were busy with their things not giving a damn to what's going between her and this nerve cracker

"Fine", she said and roughly sat on his laps.

"Motherfvcker", he gasp, "take it easy, before you break junior", he said. She stared at him, eyed him ruefully which he winked in response, she hissed afterwards, a very long hiss.

***Ten Minutes Later***

"Damn it these story izza bomb", he complimented

"Thank you"

"Ermmm, please can you control the way you move your waist, you know before we start feeling tingily tingily", he said. She paused, looked at him, looked at her readers are who are busy reading, bit her lips and stared upwards.

"This nonsense has to end", she said, shut her laptop, got up and walked off

"Hey where are you going, I'm having a nice time here"

"To put and end to my misery. You want space, space you shall get", she replied and walked off angrily.

"Damn, that's one mad lady", Xavier5 said, facial shrugged and continued reading.

"Divpennnnnnnnnnnn, Obinnauuuuuuuuuuu, Ishiloveeeeeeeeeeeeeeee", Safarigirl screamed in the hallway

"Madass story from a madass writer, what a combo. Mbokkkkkk, space booked. We're following this thing to the end. I die here", he soliloqued shaking his head in euphoria


#Xavier

Now we gat 2 stories in one thread...

Dope, dope ,dope ....

Odoogu:
Now we gat 2 stories in one thread...

Dope, dope ,dope ....

I swear.... I don't think I have ever enjoyed reading a "derailing" comment like this.

Vulcanheph:

I swear.... I don't think I have ever enjoyed reading a "derailing" comment like this.

Odoogu:
Now we gat 2 stories in one thread...

Dope, dope ,dope ....

Safarigirllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll, I thought you said you wanted to create space, where did thou run to

Xavier5:
Safarigirllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll, I thought you said you wanted to create space, where did thou run to

Huh?

Safarigirl ... Pls update.

***Had to take a few days off, i posted a lot in few days, also, I have to edit before posting, and I'm not big on editing****


The entire universe agreed with this meeting.

It was the only logical thing either of them could come up with and as funny as it sounded to Patrick when Adun first made such an observation, he agreed with her. Mostly because, just like anyone in her profession was wont to do, she had backed up her claim with facts, the first being, the weather was warm. They were both familiar with the Abuja weather and while it could be lenient at times, it was mostly harsh in whatever form. The fact that the sun wasn’t scorching was quite favourable, plus the warm breeze made for a pleasurable outing.

They had been to two parks already and were now heading to their third destination- the cinema. It wasn’t on their itinerary initially, but somehow Adun and Veronica had joined forces to make sure Patrick found himself driving toward the Silverbird Galleria past 5:00PM. he had made valid arguments for why they couldn’t possibly go there so late, but for everything he brought up, Adun seemed to have it covered. Most importantly, he didn’t want Veronica missing any meal, there was an agreement to get something at one of the many restaurants in the mall once they got there. He wasn’t a fan of eating outside, but he couldn’t deny Veronica when she pleaded to see a movie. She was currently asleep, most likely due to exhaustion and he could only smile at that, even her body agreed she was tired, but she was intent on defying it just so she could visit the cinema. Granted, it would be a new experience for her, so he supposed he could overlook her defiance.

“She’s a wonderful child, I can see why you would want to give her the world.” Adun’s voice broke into his reverie and Patrick turned to her. her eyes were still bright and alert, for someone who had been out and about for at least six hours, she showed no signs of tiredness

He smiled at her assertion, “She’s the best, she’s never given me any trouble since we lost our parents.” He replied

“I bet she says the same thing of you.”

He shook his head ruefully, as much as he liked to think Veronica would have such an opinion of him, he didn’t share her thoughts. He could have done more, he wanted to do more, his biggest regret was having her drop out of school for five years. Yes, he had done his best by home schooling her, but sometimes, it occurred to him that isolating her from her peers wasn’t particularly healthy. He wanted her to have the excitement he did from going to school with kids his age and interacting with them, he knew very well how important that was to the growth of any child, Veronica missing out on that was something he would never get over, “She’s too young to understand, but sometimes, I think I failed her.” he admitted.

It wasn’t a confession he had ever made to anyone because he hadn’t gotten the opportunity to talk to a fellow adult since the death of his parents- at least not in this capacity. He found that a feeling of relief passed through him when he shared his fear.

“It’s normal for the older ones to think they may have made mistakes with children, trust me, she’s turned out better than most people with both parents alive. You didn’t fail her. Plus, she’s still a child, so, you have enough time to make up for whatever deficiencies you erroneously think are present .” she replied

He nodded in acknowledgement of her words, yes, he still had enough time to make it up to Veronica. She was finally getting what she deserved; she got to attend formal school with her mates, she was having fun doing it and she enjoyed school. He found so much joy in doing basic things like preparing her for school and packing up her lunch, even the short drive to drop her off gave him an excitement that probably exceeded hers. He lived for those five days in the week when he and Veronica went through rituals he was familiar with, funny how he enjoyed the concept of school now, as a child, he abhorred it and would probably have taken home schooling over formal education.

He reached for Adun’s hand across him and took it in his, her hand was much smaller, something he found adorable, “Thank you for today.” His words were bathed in sincerity. This is what ‘normal’ felt like and he had gotten this feeling thanks to Adunni. The entire day he had constantly found himself thinking of them as a family, wondering if it would be similar to this. It was an exciting thought. He had watched everything with a keen eye, down to how Adun interacted with Veronica and he couldn’t help but think she would make a great mother. She wasn’t aware of it, but she shared some similarities with her mother in the way they spoke and approached certain things. He liked to think he was off duty in the care of Veronica today, mostly because Adun had taken care of everything. He was particularly impressed by how attentive she was to Veronica’s health issue. She kept her hydrated, making sure they drank something at thirty minute intervals and constantly asked if she was hungry. At one time, he had left them to use the lavatory and returned to find Veronica eating. They had laughed together and discussed things he apparently wasn’t allowed to know of.

Yes, he had been a bit jealous that Veronica had more or less ignored him the entire day to roll with her new ‘bestie’, but even more importantly, he realized how much his sister needed female company. As understanding as he was, there were some things Veronica would never feel comfortable speaking to him about and he doubted he would be open to having certain discussions with her, so it was only appropriate that she have someone who could relate with her in that way.

His eyes had been opened to so many new things in one day and he feared to think he would have to let go of it all at some point if things didn’t work out. He feared to think that things wouldn’t work out. No matter how lenient fate was suddenly being to him, Patrick wasn’t foolish enough to think there wouldn’t be a storm at some point to ruin this party, he just hoped he would be able to salvage some things once it was over.

She placed her free hand atop his, “I should thank you. I know I shouldn’t be saying this so early, but I’m glad I met you, you’re probably the most genuine guy I’ve ever met.” She stated, she let out a laugh, “It’s funny cuz my mum has been trying to set me up with these weird, pretentious douchebags and it never works. She’ll probably lose a screw if I introduce you and Veronica to her.”

He managed a small smile at her words, but the guilt that hit him in that moment ruined whatever happiness he could muster. If only she knew this was another set up, he felt awful that he had to meet her this way, but even worse, that someday in the near future, he would have to tell her he was just another agent from her mother, “And why do you think so?” he asked

She gave him a ludicrous look, “Hmm, if you know my mother, you would understand better. She’ll probably say something like, ‘if I had known you prefer the men who come with kids, I would have long set you up with a widower.’”

“You can never tell, maybe your mother would have seen potential with a guy like me.”

She shook her head, “Nah….she probably would have endorsed you with your looks, but my mum isn’t a good judge of character. She prefers the braggadocio types.”

Once again, he couldn’t stop the smile that rose against his lips despite the guilt eating him within, “She sounds interesting, maybe I’ll get to meet her soon?” he asked as he pulled into the parking lot of Silverbird Entertainment Centre

“If I could, I’d take you to her tonight just so I can do the Red Indian dance on her head, she thinks I’m incapable of finding a good man on my own…but all in good time, you keep being awesome and maybe you’ll meet my extended family eventually.” She flashed him a smile and a wink before stepping out of the car to open the back door and wake Veronica.

Patrick remained in his position, a small smile dancing against his lips and his brain doing a marathon race. He wasn’t sure he could keep up with this reuse, he wanted to end it so badly. He wished he could, but this was neither the place nor time for such a discussion. He would have to visit Folashade soon and ask her if it was okay to tell Adun everything. Maybe if he wasn’t attached to this woman, he would go along with everything like there was nothing to it, but just as he feared earlier, his feelings were getting involved and he couldn’t seem to stop the spiral. He was starting to care for her, he didn’t want to hurt her and he knew more than anything else, this plan was bound to hurt her immensely if she got wind of it in the wrong way.

A sharp knock at his window startled him out of his thoughts, he turned to find Adun and Veronica watching him, “Brother, are you okay?” Veronica asked

“Yes, I’m….let’s go.” He replied as he wound up all the windows. There was no need to ruin their outing with negative thoughts, so pushing aside those thoughts, Patrick followed the two women in his life

****

Chika had been giving her a funny stare since she walked into the office this morning.

That was probably because she had maintained a goofy smile since she walked in. She had to give her friend props for not busting a nut, just holding in the urge to ask her a bunch of questions. It was very much unlike Chika to be this quiet for as long as she had been quiet. Usually, she would be asking a ton of questions as soon as she spotted a hint of a smile.

She had been unable to sleep the entire night due to her excitement, but she didn’t feel the least bit exhausted this morning. All she could think of was Patrick and how lucky she was. The more she thought about him, the more she couldn’t believe her luck. Was it even possible for a man, a Nigerian man at that, to be so perfect? Yes, some would say the fact that he had to care for a child kind of put a dent on the whole idea of his being perfect, but it wasn’t like she was his actual child. She was just his sister, and as far as she was concerned, the fact that he had stepped up when she needed him the most, only put him that much higher on this pedestal she had created solely for him.

He was the kind of man only accessible to women on the pages of novels. The kind of man she had never thought she would meet. She was so eager to throw him in her mother’s face, but all that would be in good time. She didn’t need to start gloating just yet, a few more weeks, and Mrs. Folashade Oche would never know what hit her. She was going to bust a shakushaku into her compound and zanku on her bed until she admitted that indeed, she should have left her to her own shenanigans all this time, rather than try to hook her up with all the psychotic, misogynistic airheads she had introduced her to.

Just a matter of time.

“So, you’re waiting for me to ask you, before you tell me who oiled your engine last night?”

Adun’s eyes widened comically at Chika’s rather nasty vocabulary, “Chika! This is an office, I will not have you use such terms within a professional space”

“Abeg abeg abeg, who dey follow you speak English for here? My friend, tell me what I want to hear. This smile you have on your face is not ordinary, who is he, where did you meet him, and if it’s not too much to ask, what was the size of his kini?”

Adun had to stop herself from laughing out loud, Chika really was a piece of work, “I would like to plead the fifth….”

“The fifth does not exist in the Nigerian constitution, and cannot be pled in Nigeria. You better start talking, before I subpoena you”

Adun gave a rather exaggerated sigh before speaking, “Well, I’m sure you know of him by now, he came over to the office some time back”

“Wait..is it that tall, sexy guy that came to see you that day? The one I was already thinking of snatching from you?”

Adun guffawed, “Don’t you wish”

“Hmm, I like the guy sha. And honestly, anybody is better than that arrogant goat, Kenneth. I’ll be glad to never see him here again.”

Adun smiled at her friend, “I would like that as well, but trust me, Kenneth won’t give up so easily. That guy is dogged”

Chika leaned over like she was about to divulge some juicy secret, “Think you can get that boyfriend of yours to scare him off? He’s a big guy, he should be able to do the business”

Adun smiled at the thought of Patrick running Kenneth out of her life, indeed the prospects seemed pleasing, but if there was one thing she had learnt of Kenneth Agbo, it was that he didn’t scare easy. Sure, they could try that out, but Kenneth would always be lurking around, waiting for his moment to pounce. It would be an exercise in futility, “I seriously doubt getting Kenneth to disappear would be that easy”

“If you’re down, I know a guy….”

Adun cocked a brow at her, “You know a guy, are you about to suggest something that might be illegal in a legal office?”

“Depends on your definition of illegal”

“That’s it. Thanks for coming Chika, but I believe you’ve got some more work to do at your desk”

“We can discuss this over lunch at that fancy restaurant you like”

“I will not discuss anything illegal with you anywhere Chika, in fact, I may be termed an accessory by just giving you more audience right now. Go away”

Chika shrugged, “ I’ll keep his contact sha, just in case” she winked suggestively and then waked out of the office.

Adun couldn’t stop her smile. She was very lucky to have Chika around , crazy as she seemed.

Thanks. You've got me smiling every time reading each episode.

Interesting one...
More update.

Thanks for the update op

Thanks for the update ma

Chapter Eight


“Are you going out with aunty Adun tonight?”

Patrick glanced at Veronica who rode next to him in the passenger’s seat. Some of her clothes, toiletries and medication were in the weekend bag in the backseat, as he drove her to Mrs. Oche’s home, where she would be spending the rest of the day and night. They had only just finished from the doctor’s office, where he had checked up on her and verified her healthy.

They had a weekly appointment with Mrs. Oche’s family doctor, it had been ongoing since she decided to take them under her wing. The woman’s magnanimity was all encompassing. Patrick hadn’t seen the need for a weekly check-up, but Shade insisted it was best for Veronica, especially as they were coming from deplorable conditions. She wanted them to be sure that Veronica’s ulcer received optimum attention, just so they wouldn’t miss anything.

By all accounts, she was going all out for them and occasionally, Patrick felt rather indebted to her. The one thing he had come to accept was that, he would never be able to fully pay her back for all she had done for them. Of course, she insisted that the only pay back she needed was for him to have a successful relationship with Adun, but more and more, he felt like, even that wouldn’t cut it. He owed this woman his life and his sister’s life. They were living in a world he could never have imagined for them, they had access to things he had only seen in pages of magazines and on TV screens before, they were visiting doctors he knew damn well, his paycheck could never afford, and it was all thanks to her.

Nothing would suffice as a form of repayment, and he supposed she didn’t care for any of that. She just wanted to see her daughter happy. It warmed his heart that she cared so much about her daughter, it made him wonder of what could have been of himself and Veronica if their mother was alive; would she have loved Veronica just as much? Would she have been willing to do anything and cross any boundaries to have her daughter happy? In some way, he believed so.

“Yes, Vero. I’m going to see Adun tonight, that’s why you’ll be staying at Mrs. Oche’s place”

His response was met with brief silence, however, he knew quite well that Veronica had more to say. She eventually let it out.

“I like her”

Patrick smiled at her words, “I like her too”

“She makes you happy, I like seeing you happy, so, I like her”

His smile grew wider, “How do you know she makes me happy?”

“Because anytime we talk about her, you have that big smile on your face”

This time, he burst into laughter at her words .She was very attentive; consciously or subconsciously, the mere mention of Adun’s name made him smile, and any discussions about her usually had him feeling giddy with excitement, “Maybe I’m just smiling”

“To everything about her?”

Patrick shook his head and smiled, “I can’t wait to drop you off, so, you can stop disturbing me about Adun”

“Or, so that you can run and meet her” she teased.

He chuckled, “Whatever you say, I’m not arguing with you anymore”

There was a peaceful reign of silence after that, but he didn’t miss the smile of satisfaction on Veronica’s face. She had been smiling a lot recently, and he couldn’t describe how happy that made him.

They got to Mrs. Oche’s house some minutes later, and Patrick maneuvered the car into the compound, he exchanged pleasantries with John as he stepped out of the car. In the last few weeks, he and the security man had been quite friendly around each other, he supposed the change in dynamics of their relationship was to blame for that. The man had regarded him with a hint of suspicion the first couple of weeks, but he soon realized the arrangements would last a while, so, he learnt to be a bit more friendly.

Veronica hopped out of the car, got out her sleepover bag and made a beeline for the house. She felt as comfortable with Folashade as she did with him, this house was like her second home, her ability to adapt was quite marveling to him. The transition was far too easy.

He walked into the home and was greeted by laughter from the living room, apparently, Folashade had already joined Veronica and they were having a good laugh…he hoped it had nothing to do with him though, he found that they had both turned him to a butt of their many jokes for some time now, and while he did find humor in their jokes sometimes, for the most part, they left him feeling uncomfortable and downright guilty at times.

Folashade spotted him from her vantage point on the couch, Veronica had her back to the entrance.

“Patrick, we were just talking about you”

He groaned inwardly, of course they were.

Veronica turned and grinned at him, “I was telling Mrs. Oche how you and Aunty Adun talk on phone for hours”

Patrick stopped in his tracks, his features blanched. If he were lighter, he would be blushing heavily. He wasn’t even aware Veronica listened in on his conversations most of the time. He would converse with Adun, sometimes till deep in the night, hours when he thought Veronica would be asleep...he was apparently wrong.

A smirk came upon Shade’s lips, “Oh, so the rumors are true. I hope it’s all positive conversation”

Patrick avoided the mischievous look in her eyes, “I…it’s just normal work stuff.” He said, in a bid to play off their nightly conversations.

“Mm hmm, long may it continue” Shade stated.

A brief silence lingered in the room, with Patrick unsure of what to say after that, “I…I have to be going now, Adunni will be expecting me.”

“Have fun.” Veronica said.

“Lots of fun” Shade reiterated, with a wink. Patrick had the feeling her definition of fun was a far cry from Veronica’s. He managed an awkward smile, just before he walked out of the house. It was obvious Shade had put a lot of faith in him, and considering all she had done for him and his sister in the last few months, it was only fair he reward that faith with positive results, but Patrick was starting to doubt he could keep up with the charade.

He liked Adunni, genuinely so. She was too good a person to keep up such an act with. At some point he would have to tell her who he really was, and how he had come into her life. He was hoping this date with her would give him that opportunity. He didn’t know how she would react to the news, but it was better he got it over with early enough, than to keep stringing her along and risk her finding out in a far more unpleasant way.

Awesome Update safarigirl

#Xavier

Nice update... It is never enough.

Keep up the good work , safarigirl.

Thanks a bunch honey.

Patrick's case is not a complicated one, since Adun likes him and he has feelings for her coupled with the fact that Mrs Oche and Veronica are in support of their relationship, all he has to do is just mentally change the circumstance, that is, he should be real with and to Adun without divulging the secret to her. He should let this known to Oche who is more than willing to cooperate. With this the whole problem will be settled without any damage, also Kenneth won't be able to find any thing against because all he will find is his background which Adun knows already. Patrick will have nothing to lose.

And also, he should avoid going to Oche's house to prevent surprises. He should concieve another way to keep in touch with Oche.

The matter na very simple one, na just Patrick wan make am hard

#Xavier

****

Unpleasant feelings were commonplace with his job description, and more often than not, he had to swallow it down to deliver the news, after all, what did his feelings matter, where his money was concerned?

This time though, Tosan found himself extremely conflicted and the unpleasant feeling was worse than he liked.

Kenneth was right.

It was what made this particular situation even more annoying.

Kenneth was right.

It was something to marvel at, for a slimy creature like Kenneth to be right about some other person being untrustworthy. Even worse, knowing there were no good intentions to Kenneth’s concern, made things worse.

The guy in question, Patrick, wasn’t who he claimed to be. Tosan had done a thorough search. He would admit, at first, he had been lackadaisical about it all, thinking Kenneth a jealous courter, who just wanted to get rid of the competition, but then, he had asked around and it was clear this guy was generally new to the scene and most of the people within the corporate circle weren’t familiar with him. So, Tosan had dug further, more out of curiosity than a need to help in Kenneth’s little vendetta.

Suffice it to say, the things he had learned in the last month were rather disturbing.

Patrick Umeh was a nobody barely four months ago. His last known address was a bungalow somewhere in Surulere, and that had been about six years ago. He had gone off the grid for the last six years, and suddenly emerged months ago, with an apartment, a car, and a job. The man didn’t even have any footprints on the internet, so, surely, internet fraud had nothing to do with this resurgence of his. He hadn’t won a lottery and he sure hadn’t invested in any businesses that could have led to him being within Adunni’s circle.

One name kept popping up in the course of his investigations though- Folashade Oche, Adunni’s mother, and the only logical ties Patrick had to Adun.

Tosan still hadn’t established how both persons came into contact with each other, but he had spent sufficient time coming up with possible theories as to how they were linked, and the one theory that kept coming to him, was that Folashade Oche had hired Patrick Umeh to execute some business for her, and he was starting to think it had something to do with Adunni. Patrick Umeh was getting paid, both in cash and in kind, by Mrs. Oche. She was bankrolling his new lifestyle, she had gotten him into events and places Adunni would frequent and it was rather convenient, that the younger Miss Oche was now dating him.

That had to be the job.

Adunni was the job.

Now, Tosan had to consider the wisdom in supplying Kenneth this information. If he knew the endgame to all of this, perhaps, he would have kept it to himself, but he still didn’t know what Folashade and Patrick were aiming for and if there was any malicious intent to it

Was it possible that a mother would have any malicious intent toward her child?

In his line of business, such scenarios weren’t far-fetched, being a Private investigator, made him rather jaded. He had long stopped affixing any sense of loyalty towards familial ties. The game was the game and anyone could be played.

Kenneth would be in his office any minute now, and he only had that window to consider if he should hand him the information he had gotten, or if he should find a way to contact the other parties involved in this matter.

Tosan let out a sigh. This was why he hated to do business with anyone he knew on a personal basis. If it were some random stranger, he would have no qualms handing them the information they paid for, but knowing who Kenneth was and knowing what he was capable of, it left an unsettling feeling in his stomach to give him such sensitive information. If only he knew the others better, if only he knew the motive behind Folashade and Patrick’s actions, then he would know the safer bet. Right now, Kenneth could very well be the safer bet for the good of Adun, even if he was scum in his own way.

A knock at his door was all the alert he needed to know, that the time for reckoning had arrived, “Come in” he responded, as he took one last look at the envelope on his desk, filled with all the information about Patrick Umeh.

Kenneth walked into the office, a grin on his face as if he already had a premonition on what Tosan had found, “I know you found something good for me.” Kenneth stated as he eased himself into the chair opposite Tosan.

Once again, Tosan couldn’t help that feeling in his gut that he was about to make a terrible mistake, by releasing the information he had to Kenneth, but this was the job, and sometimes, the client wasn’t the good guy. His only concern was his pay and future recommendations; what Kenneth chose to do with the information was up to him, he had no vested interests.

“You were right.” Tosan began.

“He’s a fraud, isn’t he?” Kenneth asked, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. One would think he had just been told he had won a million dollar lottery, by how giddy he was.

“I would rather prefer, he’s not who he says he is.”

Kenneth leaned back in the chair, “We call those semantics Tosan, the guy is a fraud, na 419 e be, but I knew this, hence my coming to meet you. So, tell me, what did you find out about him?”

Before his conscience got the better part of him, and he withheld the information from Kenneth, Tosan picked up the envelope and dropped it in front of Kenneth, “That’s all you need to know about the guy. His name is indeed Patrick Umeh, but that’s just about where the truth ends with him.”

Kenneth picked up the envelope, “I knew I could count on you, Tosan.” He said, he put his hand in his pocket, and retrieved a wad of cash, amounting to fifty thousand Naira, which he handed to Tosan.

Reluctantly, Tosan took the money from his friend; a job was still a job after all, his own feelings and misgivings aside

“We go see now” Kenneth gave him a wink and walked out of the office, he was on such a high, he couldn’t be bothered with anyone else’s sour spirit.

Tosan let out a loud sigh, whatever the outcome, he hoped many people wouldn’t’ be hurt by it.

Thanks for the update sis. Adun has already know the truth Patrick will revealing to her.

Ghen! Ghen!! Ghen !!!

I love this...

Please continue.

Finally, here comes the Turn!..

Good job, safarigirl.

***sorry for the delay guys, had other stuff I was occupied with, and forgot to post****


Chapter Nine

Were dates supposed to go this well, or was she still caught up in a Harlequin romance novel?

There had to be a glitch somewhere, some sort of brake that would jerk her back to an expected reality, because there was no way this man was as perfect as he presented himself to be. For all of her insistence on learning of the person, before letting her emotions rule her, Adunni found herself falling deeper and deeper for this man she had only known for a few months. Maybe she had grown jaded from constantly being around users, perhaps, that was why the first sign of someone who seemed genuine was so refreshing for her. She felt like a kid at their first funfair; totally in awe.

She had always figured he was an intelligent man with vision, but the more he spoke about his work, and particularly taking care of Veronica, the more she found herself realizing he also had a decent grasp of what it was like to raise kids and be part of a family. He hadn’t gotten the best of examples at the later part of his teenage years from his father, and he had a lot foisted on his young shoulders, yet, he seemed to have muscled his way through it all.

For all of her challenges after the death of her father, Adunni’s mother had made sure she never lacked for anything. Yes, she did sometimes wish her father was alive and had seen her be this great lawyer she now was, but at no time in her life had she felt any financial strains due to the absence of her father.

It was different for Patrick, the entire idea of losing a parent to suicide was depressing alone, how much more losing every other thing on had grown with. She did not have the sort of strength and courage he had, she did not wish for such tragedy to befall anyone she knew…but, she was almost thankful, selfish as it may seem, that his life had played out like that, because she would never have met him if all of those experiences had never happened. Either that, or he would not have become the man he currently was.

Her eyes glimmered with mirth, a smile dancing against her full lips as he made a joke about her taste in wine. He wasn’t knowledgeable about wines…perhaps, the only flaw a connoisseur like herself saw in him, minor still. It was nothing that couldn’t be remedied with a little tutoring.

“This one you ordered now, it tastes like someone mixed zobo inside agbo jedijedi.”

She chuckled softly, “Haba, how can your taste buds betray you so?”

“My taste buds are fine, although sometimes, I worry about yours.” He stated, as he reached out for his glass of water to wash down the taste of the wine.

Adunni rolled her eyes at him, “I worry about what my mother will think of a man who desecrates her beloved Elrose, she has personal sentiments attached to that wine.”

“Oh? How so?”

“Her friend’s the creative mind behind the wine, started it about a decade ago.”

He seemed a bit surprised to hear that, his brows lifting slightly, “Well, if that’s the situation, it tastes great.”

Adunni couldn’t help the bout of laughter that jumped out of her. She caught herself almost immediately, and took a survey of the restaurant just to be sure no scathing gazes were fixed on them, “So, you plan to lie to my mother’s face?” she teased.

He shrugged, “I plan to jump whatever hoops necessary to get her approval.” He supplied.

Once again, a smile was plastered on Adun’s face. She feared her jaw would fall off if she continued to smile as much as she had since this date started. The butterflies in her stomach were awakened by those words. He seemed so intentional, so sincere about his plans for her. Of course, he hadn’t made an elaborate confession of his undying love or anything of such, but she noticed in casual conversation, how he would drop hints of a possible future for them.

Granted, her dating pool was rather small, but even a shallow as it was, none of the men had been this expressive about their plans for the relationship. There was always a vagueness to their words, a lack of true intent. It was another trait that set Patrick apart; at no time since she met him, had she needed to clarify just what he wanted from her, at no time had he given her cause to imagine he wasn’t looking for commitment. And she didn’t even have to ask.

“If you maintain this energy, you just might be meeting her really soon.” She wiggled her brows suggestively, as she picked up her glass of wine to take a sip.

“Make promises like that, and I just might end up buying this awful bottle of wine to hasten the process.”

She had no idea how it happened, but the next thin Adunni knw, she was spitting her drink out of her mouth as a laugh tore through her. What the hell?! If her last attempt at laughter had escaped the notice of the other patrons in the restaurant, this one definitely hadn’t, as they received numerous gazes.

“Ooh, I’m so sorry.” Patrick stated, as he hurriedly reached for a napkin to help wipe the drink off her dress.

Adunni was unsure of which of the feelings to entertain, between amusement and embarrassment. She didn’t think she even had it in her to be annoyed, because could anyone really be annoyed by humor, :I think we’ve been out long enough.” She chuckled softly, as she took the napkin from him and helped herself. It was rather unwise to have Patrick’s hand on her body in public, the repercussions were wild and she simply couldn’t entertain that level of discomfort.

He seemed a bit downcast by her declaration, “Are you sure?” he asked.

She reckoned he must have assumed it was an indictment on himself, and she quickly assuaged such a thought, “You’re great company Patrick, the best, perhaps too much. I just mean…if you’re going to keep making me laugh so hard that I spill my drink all over my dress, it’s probably best we don’t give the other patrons a show.”

His features eased, “What if I promise to not make you laugh anymore?”

Adunni found herself chuckling at his words, “I do not think you’re capable of making such promises.”

He smiled, a genuine and sweet smile. It amazed her how his smile took off years from his age, and had him looking like a younger and adorable version of himself, “How many hoops do you think I successfully jump when I make you laugh?”

Adunni’s hand flew to her mouth to stop the loud laughter she could feel brewing, “Okay, that’s definitely it for the night…” she said, as she fought back her smile.

“Come on…” he groaned in protest, “…you would deny a man the pleasure of making you laugh?”

She gave him an incredulous stare, “…in exchange for my dignity? Yes. The last thing I need is someone to record me laughing like a fool and posting on social media. I still have to show my face in courts in this country, I don’t need the opposing counsel or judge looking at me like a clown.”

He sighed softly…longingly, “Fair point. I did enjoy my time with you though, I always enjoy my time with you.”

“Considering you’re the one with the jokes, I’m rather flattered that you find me good company.”

He said nothing in response, rather staring at her intensely, so that Adunni had to look away to avoid his gaze. As giddy as he made her feel, she still felt a little shy under the heat of his gaze. He was a man she found incredibly attractive after all.

“Too bad you’ve chosen to cut our time short.” He sighed, but there was nothing accusatory in his tone, just resignation, “Do I order you an Uber then?”

Perhaps she should have thought better of it, allowed his question sink in before she responded to it, but her excitement couldn’t be contained as soon as the thought came to her, “Can you drive me home?” she blurted out.

He seemed rather surprised by her request, and the look of surprise mutated to one of doubt, reluctance even. Yet, for some reason, Adunni didn’t think to withdraw the question. It was out and she wasn’t taking it back. Selfish? Yes…but what would a brief drive to her house take, before he could be on his way?

Your update is taken time safari, am always reading

The update was good and aunty safari no rush am so that the quality of the story will be good. We have no right to push you to update fast since this is free and you also have a life outside nairaland

This is so good i cant wait for more ��. Great work safari girl, it is nice to have you again

Dear safarigirl

First of all, compliments of the season.

I just wanted you to know that I love your works and have been captivated by this story ever since it started, I usually don't read romance stories but this story has definitely enamored me.
This story of yours is like taking a SAFARI ride (pun intended) filled with so much exotic animals.

However I was surprised that you look like a slay queen in your profile pics, (since most slay queens usually don't have any talents).
I came to realize that you're a rare combination of BEAUTY + BRAINS.

Keep up the good work.

Yours Faithfully
Vulcanheph

****almost at the end****

The car came to a stop at a rather quaint bungalow inside a well secured estate.

Adunni's estate. Adunni's house.

When they had set off for their date some hours ago, Patrick had not imagined he would end up here tonight. He had not thought tonight would be the night he would learn of the location of her house, but when she asked that he drop her off, he had acquiesced to her request with little hesitation.

He had no reason to reject the suggestion after all. Folashade had been kind enough to take Veronica until Sunday evening, just so he wouldn't have to rush to take her home. His evening was clear, as well as Sunday morning, still, he had not thought the night would lead him to the front of Adunni's home.

"This is your stop." He announced, as he turned off the engine of the car.

"Yes, it is." She sighed softly.

He gave her a small smile, "I really enjoyed your company tonight." He had said that earlier on, at the restaurant, but he felt the need to reiterate it still.

She grinned, the tiny dimple on her left cheek peeping out. Perhaps he had spent a great part of the evening staring at her face and memorising her features a little too much, but Patrick had noticed a few inconspicuous features on her face tonight, from the birth mark that sat right at her brow bone, to the tiny scar at the top of her lip, however, his favourite discovery was that almost invisible dimple on her left cheek, perhaps he found it intriguing, because there was no dimple on the right side of her cheek. Still, it was one more thing to add to all of the little things he liked about her.

"I doubt I made as interesting a company as you did, but I will take your compliment and say thank you." She responded.

There was a bit of silence in the cabin of the car, and Patrick couldn't help but wonder why Adunni hadn't made an attempt to get out of the car, it was almost like she was lost in thought.

"Do you…"

"..you should come inside." She blurted out before he could ask his question.

Patrick grew quiet, once again, caught off guard by the invitation.

"...just, for a cup of tea, or coffee." She added quickly, "It's kind of selfish, but I just want to spend a little more time with you." She admitted, a blush to her cheeks.

It was a bad idea.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Patrick did not trust good things to come of getting into that house, but like her, he was selfish enough to not want to think of the negative possibilities that could come from getting into the house.

"Sure, I'd love to." He responded.

He could only hope for the best.

*****

Adunni prided herself in her ability to plan out every action she took. She always had a Plan A-Plan D at the least, she believed in being prepared for any eventualities. So, she never did anything she hadn't thought about extensively.

For the first time tonight though, she found herself breaking character.

She had acted impulsively, spurred more by her own emotions and the desire to remain in the company of the man she had rather enjoyed the evening's earlier activities with.

Twice tonight, she had acted impulsively; first, by asking him to drop her off, and then, by asking him in to share a cup of coffee with her. Perhaps, regret would set in at a later time, but, as she sat in her comfy couch, and laughed her lungs out over a cup of hot chocolate, with the man she was fiercely attracted to, sitting only inches from her on the same couch, not an ounce of regret laid upon her shoulders.

He was stretched lazily on the chair, his large hand grasped the handle of the mug that contained his chosen beverage- ginger tea, which had greatly depleted since their conversation began.

She was telling him about some of the ridiculous cases she had handled over the years, and he paid rapt attention like she was teaching a class.

"Wait….so, it was his son who had signed off on the deal?"

Adunni nodded emphatically, "Yes! And all that time, we had been chasing the wrong lead."

"Wow, that's...wow. How do you even do that to your own father?"

She shrugged, "It surprised me too. It wasn't just the double crossing, it was all the time he had been investing in the case, he was so insistent on getting to the bottom of things, I would have never thought he was the bottom of things."

He shook his head, clearly still digesting the details of this case, "So, what did the father do eventually? Was he able to get the deed back?"

Adunni scoffed, "As soon as he found it was his son responsible for everything, he was done with the case. I doubt he got the deed back, at least not with us representing."

She glanced at him, and watched him take another sip of his drink, but she could tell his cup was almost empty, just by how high he lifted it to his lips.

"There's more tea in the kettle." She stated, "Do I get it for you?"

She noticed him blush slightly at her question, as if embarrassed that she had noticed his cup was empty, and it was just as endearing as some of the smaller things he would do, "No, I'm good."

She rolled her eyes at him, "I beg to differ." She stated, as she got to her feet, "Come on, hand it over.* She stated, as she gestured for his cup.

He gave her a bashful smile, shaking his head, "Adun, honestly, I'm fine."

"I insist." She stated firmly.

He seemed set to argue with her, but must have thought better of it after a beat and conceded to her. Wiith a sigh, he handed her the cup, "I can't argue with the woman of the house."

She beamed at him, "Thank you for being reasonable."

He flashed her a smile and shook his head softly as she made her way to the kitchen. She could feel his eyes following her, but she didn't bother to confirm her suspicion.

She found herself humming, as she fixed another pot of boiling water. She felt light as a feather, which was funny, considering whenever she returned from an evening activity such as this, she would usually be exhausted. It felt like she had been home all day, lazying about.

Was this what it was like to be in…? Nah. That was too early, there was no way. She hadn't been in a relationship in so long, perhaps, this thing she was feeling was just infatuation borne out of being with a man for the first time in a while. Yes, he was different, perhaps, he did send butterflies in her tummy into a frenzy when he smiled at her, but ultimately, this was nothing to lose her mind over...or her morals.

She sighed softly, as the water stopped boiling, she picked up the kettle and poured some hot water into the mug. Briefly, Adun considered adding cold water, but eventually abandoned the thought. If he needed some cold water, she would just get it for him.

The tea was done in seconds, and she moved quickly to the living room, intent on getting back to the interesting conversation they were sharing.

"Tea's on its way…" she stated excitedly as she moved rather quickly toward him.

Adunni couldn't tell the progression of things from when she said those words and watched Patrick sit up to receive the cup from her...perhaps, she had been watching him more closely than she had been watching her steps, but just as she made to hand him the cup, she missed her footing and spilled the content onto him.

He sprung out of the chair in reaction to what had to be the sting of the tea, as her eyes widened in shock.

Shit!

Interesting piece…. Well done OP

Ann2012:
Interesting piece…. Well done OP

Thank you