UNWITTING VESSELS (sequel To Vessels Unknown)

TWENTY SIX

FEMI

  Back in my house, I waited for Second and his team to show. But the waits had progressed into the night, yet nothing. I dialed his number again, it rang out without an answer.
When the lights went off, I strolled out of my house and stood at the gate.

Streams of people kept walking back and forth to their destinations. It reminded me of a book in the bible Ecclesiastes. It was one of my most read books in the world. Its wisdom is deep and factual.
I reminisced on its lecture about time and seasons in my head while I waited for any sign from the gang.

         After an hour wait, the Nigerian power authority decided to restore the electricity. Nara was now home.
I didn't see her walk through the front gate but I also knew she loved using the back gate a lot.
From my view, she paced around the room searching for nothing. Then I understood she was angry and maybe didn't want to talk about it.

           "Nara?" I called.

She turned and faced me. "What? What is it?"

I eased myself on my favorite chair by the window. "What's eating you up?"

My wife scowled at me, then hissed and walked away. As soon as she was gone, I relaxed on the two seater couch to stretch my legs. Like the wind, she returned and searched my face.
            "Why exactly were you at Adrian's church?"

My eyes squinted to get a better view of her face. "I went to church. Is that now a crime?"
Her head stiffened while her jaw clenched. "You dare lie to me Femi?" She pointed at me.

"You dare lie?"

I braced back into the couch, my body now in a sitting position. "Nara, please not now. I don't have energy to fight."

Her laughter filled the room with terror. Yes, I knew whom I married.
I moved even further back into the couch, almost melting into it. "You already know who I am Femi. You know that I know you better than anyone. So please tell me you were not part of that robbery at Adrian's church!"

         With my eyes shut and my mouth shut as well, I waited for her to do her normal. But she didn't touch me.
When I felt her shadow leave, I opened my eyes and took a long deep breath. Then my Phone buzzed and I took that opportunity to leave the house.

                                                                     ******

I met the guys in an open local football field. Second stood with Dagger and the rest of the boys.
We exchanged pleasantries and got into the deal. I was handed a small bag filled with bundles of Naira notes.

          "Four million." Second touched the bridge of his nose and glanced at me. "That's your cut."

My head lifted to face him. He was sitting on the upper part of the two step bench, smoking a wrap of weed. I sat on the lower one.

        "But you made more than this." I dangled the bag of money in his face. "Not to talk of the P.O.S payments."

I saw his jaw tighten and his eyes stern. "And what did you do when the operation was going on?" He puffed the smoke in my face.

The money on my hand almost fell off at his rigid countenance. His boys took positions around me as though they were preparing to use me for a beating workout.

        "You can't talk?" Second shouted. "We did the work and now, you want the lion share. You dey mad!" He punched the air.

I flashed an angry gaze at him before standing to square off with his men. I was once like them and still have some guys on payroll. Just one click and this would be an all out gang war.
But then I thought of my family, my children. I relaxed and eased myself back on the bench.