I HAVE DRUNK STRANGE WATERS - EPISODE 54

 EPISODE 54

"We have to find out what happened to Kike first. I can't afford to lose you baby, if anything happens to you what will become of me? What about our baby?" she said looking worried.

"I need to get a lawyer quickly" I said looking miserable.

I prepared for work the following morning with a feeling of dread; I was both anxious and afraid. My phone was fully charged but I couldn't put it on, by the time I got into my car and drove to the office I was shaking badly. I was a bad drinker, but at that moment I longed for a strong drink to calm my nerves.

I got to the office and everywhere was bustling with activities, it didn't look as if I was missed. I imagined how the filling station would look after my arrest and I admitted for the first time that I was not indispensable: Cynthia would probably be promoted to occupy my seat while I'm gone.

I answered the several greetings of "Welcome Sir" I got from the attendants and other staff with a nod as I proceeded to my office. I found the office well arranged and everything in order, the seal was the first thing I checked and to my relief it was intact. 

"Femi you are just being worried for nothing" I told myself as I locked up the seal again.

There were so many documents on my table and I started working on them immediately. I heard a knock on my door few hours later and it was the secretary.

"Sir, the accountant is here to see you" 

"Give me some minutes, he can come in after 20 minutes" I said.

I quickly tidied up the table, I heard a soft knock about 30 minutes later.

"Come in please"

He was looking smart and calm as usual, he wore his fashionable spectacle and a boyish smile. 

For the first time I gave him a thorough assessment and discovered that I had underestimated him. He has the body of an athlete and was attractive in an exotic way. His black skin was baby smooth, and he has a way of smiling that is quite Unique. He managed to look like something in between a playboy and a genius. I tried picturing Cynthia and him together but the picture did not match.

 _"He looks like someone that lives in the moment. Cynthia will prefer someone stable and responsible like me"_ 

"Please sit Mr Yinka, I wasn't expecting to see you in my office this soon. How was your trip to Calabar? Cynthia told me you went for an international exam, hope the exam was not too difficult?" I said smiling.

"I enjoyed my stay in Calabar, and the exam was a piece of cake. I have always been a bookworm so it wasn't a big deal. How was your business trip?" He replied with a harmless laugh.

"It was both good and bad, Calabar is a dangerous place" 

"Apart from the bad roads, It wasn't that bad"

I mumbled something incoherent. Calabar is not a place I want to visit in the future, my mother's cold and lifeless body in the morgue is enough evidence to label Calabar as dangerous.

"What brought you to my office, I want to assume this is more than a casual visit Mr Yinka" I said looking serious again.

He adjusted his seat and I felt as if whatever he was about to say makes him feel uncomfortable.

"Cynthia has been in and out of your office since yesterday, there have been rumors flying around. I didn't want to believe any of them but seeing you together in Calabar..."

"What is wrong with Cynthia being in my office? she's the supervisor and should take care of things when I'm not around" I said defensively.

"So, the rumor is false" he said to himself looking pleased.

"I didn't say the rumor is false Mr Yinka, I only said Cynthia coming into my office is justified" I said frowning.

"Does this mean you are having an affair with her then?" He asked looking puzzled.

"No, what is between Cynthia and I is more than an affair, do you have a problem with that?"

"I don't have any problem with you dating Cynthia, she's an attractive woman. Any man with blood running in his veins would want to have something with her" he said smiling.

"Do you?" I asked suddenly.

"Do I what?"

"Do you want to have something with her?"

He suddenly started laughing and it made me feel as if I had said something ridiculous.

"I certainly have blood running through my veins, but I'm not interested. I have a woman in my life, I'm crazy about her and no other woman stands a chance" 

"Is she the one you got married to in Calabar?" I said and I saw shock written all over his face.

"I know it's none of my business, but I overheard you talking to someone at the hotel. You told the person you just got married to the woman of your dream" he said slowly.

"You must have heard wrongly, I didn't get married. I was referring to a friend" he mumbled.

"Well, congratulations to your friend. I am sure it is his business whoever he chose to get married to" I was careful to put enough stress on "Business", I wanted him to mind his business and stop talking about Cynthia and I but it seemed he didn't catch my innuendos.

"Come to think of it, I used to think you are happily married. I still remember what you said during the opening ceremony of the company: you said you have a lovely wife you are proud of" He said throwing his own barb. He surely knew how to hit a man below the belt.

I was stunned into silence at first, I remembered how Cynthia was trying to flirt with me during the opening ceremony, I also remembered the answer I gave to her. I was madly in love with Kike then, but things are different now; that was before I discovered her true nature.

"You know Mr Yinka, every man is happily married until he meets the woman of his dreams" I said smiling.

"I have a wonderful woman in my life Mr Femi, being with her has taught me that we only have one soul mate. Maybe you are one of those men that met their soul mate after marriage, and I wonder how your wife is going to take this. Does that mean Baby Cynthy is now your side chick?"

I frowned at him referring to Cynthia as Baby Cynthy, and I knew there and then that I had to mark my territory as an alpha male.

 "Whatever my wife chooses to do is her business, and whatever I choose to do with Cynthia is my business. For your information Cynthia is my lawfully wedded wife, she's carrying my child too. She's not anybody's side chick..."

I watched as he smiled mischievously and patted his beard as if he was amused, I felt as if I had entered his trap unknowingly. I knew the worst he could do was to spread news about our marriage and I wasn't bothered.

"If I'm you I won't sleep with my two eyes closed again. I heard this saying that there is a sleeping python in every woman that wakes up whenever her husband cheats, if it is true you need to..."

"Mr Yinka, I'm expecting a guest soon, he'll call me any minutes from now" I said and brought out my phone.

 I switched it on; my intention was to pretend I had a call so that I can discharge him.

"I'm sorry if I am such a disturbance Mr Femi, my aim was to have a friendly chat with you. I feel as if we have gotten closer because of our relationship these past days..."

A call came in and interrupted what he was saying, I checked and I couldn't recognize the number. I ignored the call but my phone kept ringing.

"Pick your calls Mr Femi, it might be an emergency. You never know who might be calling you" He said and stood up from the chair, I watched as he headed for the door. 

I picked up the phone unconsciously out of shame.

"Mr Femi speaking please"

"Femi! It shall never be well with you! You are a wicked person, God punish you!" Kike's mother screamed 

"Mama, it's not what you think..."

"Don't call me Mama, I'm not your crazy mother! You call yourself a husband and you did that to your wife Femi? What kind of a wicked husband are you?"

"Mama, I don't know what our neighbors told you but that was not what happened..."

"If anything happen to my daughter I will not take it easy with you. She has been lying unconscious in the hospital for days now and you ran away! You are a devil Femi! Is this what you promised me when you came to marry my daughter? With all Kike did to help you? God punish you!" She screamed and ended the call.

"Any problem?" Mr Yinka called from the door.

To say I was in shock would be an understatement, now I know why the police didn't come for me all this while.

"Kike is alive" I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

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