Dawn 2

At the house, Emenike's wife was worried stiff. She kept calling his lines, they rang incessantly but no response. She eventually called the driver

‘We are on the way ma, close to the  street'

‘ Ah thank God!'

She exhaled deeply

‘I don’t know why Emenike doesn’t listen. Stop night crawling, na lie. Look at me, I haven’t slept a wink and this is 2 am already. We will still revisit this issue, if it means involving mama, I don’t mind. I’m sick and tired.

The electronic gate opened and the driver drove in. Emenike's wife, Natasha upon seeing them through the window upstairs rushed down stairs. On getting to the hallway downstairs the driver had entered with Emenike practically plastered on him. Natasha who was heavily built, was able to pick him up and partially dragged him to the guest room downstairs. She quickly undressed him and pulled the covers over him. She took the seat beside the bed and started crying softly.

At a stage, overcome with emotion, she dozed off, only to be awakened by Emenike's groans.

‘What is it?! Isigini?!’

Emenike groaned louder and eventually gasped

‘My stomach!’

She went into the adjoining convenience to get a pail which she put beside him. He sat up slowly and after groaning some more started vomiting into the pail. The room stank with the vomitus. Natasha stoically looked on, expressionless. When he was done retching, she went away with the bucket, flushed the content, washed the bucket and came back with the clean bucket and a bowl of water

‘Oya, rinse your mouth and wash your face' she coaxed him. He obeyed with shaky hands and then lay down and slept off after turning and tossing. Natasha sat back and slowly dozed off.

It was dawn in a few hours, the birds chirping by the window woke Emenike up. He held his head as he gingerly sat up. Natasha was fast asleep, snoring mildly. He managed to stand up and slowly made his way to the kitchen. The cook was making breakfast, eggs and bacon, the smell was nauseating to him and after a brief exchange of greetings he ordered a cup of coffee. He went back to the room and wanted to roust Natasha but on second thoughts decided to leave her be. He lay back on the bed with his arms crossed on his chest as he considered his options

‘Should I tell Nash? No, bad idea. She’s a woman, she’ll only freak out. Besides, she would never agree. My God! What have I gotten myself into?!’

His eyes became cloudy with tears as he rued the day he became rich. Just then his phone rang, he peered at it and froze when he saw the caller ID

To be continued…