For XahraAbubakar
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Some cause happiness wherever they go;
Others whenever they go"_Oscar Wilde
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Empty, soulless eyes and a cold haughty look that felt painted on smooth flawless skin. She had this permanent bored look on her face like nothing and no one was worth her time.
Jason stared at the the black leather purse in his hand something he has been doing for the last four hours as thoughts about the owner flirted through his mind. He was lying in the game room, slash man cave alongside his brothers in the unit and trying desperately to tune out their noise.
Loud clanging sound could be heard from the kitchen and the signals his nose was getting was pure ecstasy. Even in a drowsy state, he knew how Goat meat pepper soup smelled like talk less of when awake.
The delicious smell was also messing with his internal organs as they rioted happily in anticipation.
Food can kill a man, but what a sweet way to die.
Being born and bred in the United States with double citizenship did not make him any less Nigerian. Except his eyes those blue and somewhat grey torchlights that called to his maternal grandmother's Canadian blood.
The brothers as they liked to call themselves were the four among five elite Black-ops soldiers in the Special forces US army branch called the Unit. Jason was the hacker and sniper of the group his brothers were his life. They also had a lady amongst them also which he loved like his sister.
Jason turned the black purse again wondering whether to search the contents or not.
Her friend had practically called him a senseless James Bond and the thought brought a smile to his lips.
One moment Jason was talking to the boys via his headset the next he was loosing focus allowing his eyes feast on her fully. The boys had arrived a little earlier than him as he had tech business to tie up in London.
When he saw her on that air tarmac again after spending half the flight staring at her through his black shades; long legs like fire he just had to get her attention. That wasn't just why he collided into her, something about her was pulling him to her, he was like a moth drawn to flames.
Once during the flight he saw her eyes when she turned fully sideways they were so blank it was scary, it made him want to ignite something different even if it was as simple as anger or shock.
To him she also looked snobbish he had collided into her and she didn't even bother arguing with him. Her friend on the other hand was one giant angry lion.
At least she has protecting her.
Why do I even care about that?
Shaking his head vigorously and suddenly wondering why he cared about her protection.
Its must be the soldier in me, he concluded.
"What you staring at that purse for?" Xavier asked and whacked him on the head. Xavier may have a different skin colour from him but he was the closest to him, like his brother from another mother.
"Oh this," waving the purse in the air then shrugged, "I'm wondering if it can contain the entirety of your intellect, cause you are dumb bro." Loud laughter from the others echoed in the neon coloured game room.
"Ouch burn! Goodnight dumb ass" Asher fueled this time quickly using the advantage to snatch the purse from Jason's hand and flinging it to Hameed also called the sheikh at the far end of the room.
He got up quickly to try to get the purse back and Xavier held him down. That mountain of a man was huge and the main muscle of the group. Xav popped the gum he was chewing in a loud irritating manner into Jason's ears knowing how much that would irritate him.
Right now all Jason felt like doing was peeling off Xav's skull and slapping his brain directly so that it could at least get factory reset.
Anita pulled out an ID card from the purse alongside some wads of cash, nude lipstick, pepper spray, a pair of ear rings and black stockings neatly folded.
"Elizabeth Serena Brown, Psychologist at New Amsterdam Hospital" she read out and held the stockings up for everyone to see.
She cat whistled "Phew! She's hot man at least she has a beautiful face enough to make you stare so hard."The gang laughed again at her statement and this time Jason felt a little shy.
"Did you finally get under a woman? How did it feel loosing your Virginity?" Xavier snorted out in between mocking laughter.
Jason averted his eyes embarrassed, he hated it whenever they referred to his sexual life. He was not a virgin, the only difference was that he actually thought sex to be something more sacred than just something for release. Apart from Hameed the rest two were womanizers.
"Too shy to tell us the details, I'm your best buddy man or king Kong didn't perform?" Xavier added again.
"Shut up, dumbo." Pushing off Xavier this time and making to retreat for his own room after all he was exhausted and needed to crash. He grabbed the contents of his mystery woman's purse and assembled it, well she wasn't so mysterious anymore.
"Elizabeth!" He tested slowly, letting the name roll down his tongue.
He made for the door and Chioma, Asher's Fiancee the main reason why they were all here in Nigeria opened the door to announce that dinner was ready.
Hallelujah, man was starving anyway.
Asher and Chioma have been in an on and off relationship because of the nature of their Job which he never fully revealed to her It was however amazing how his eyes always lit up with adoration even when she was metres away.
He wanted something like this but he wasn't sure he wanted to try that marriage thing again.
Is it so bad that he wanted something real, something true not just a quick hay in the sack and a life time of 'use them, dump them.'
Dinner was eventful with the couple acting all lovey dovey, Xavier was gulping down most of the spicy goat meat pepper sound and white rice.
Chioma's cousin on the other hand kept throwing lingering stares and using every opportunity to fawn over Hameed whose baby face and side burns always had the ladies swooning.
He looked so uncomfortable and ridiculous that when Anita posted something on their group chat about how red and bloated he looked and their phones pinged at the same time they all burst out laughing.
******
White and black, light to darkness was the mode of the evening.
Liz was dressed in a black sheath sleeveless body con gown that stopped inches above her knees. The dress had the centre part cut off showing her well toned stomach making it perfect for the evening.
Pamela on the other hand was clad in a dress that kissed every turn of her body. The dress was virginal white in colour and bare at the back so low almost to the waist. The front of the dress dipped low showing just the right amount of cleavage and a gold chain necklace dangled between the globes of her breast. The dress also stopped mid thigh, she was definitely about to give her husband premature heart attack.
Liz beat her face to perfection and applied the nude lipstick to compliment the smokey eyes she requested. "Smack your lips."
Pamela did as she asked and got up to adjust the bone straight, silky, gold wig she had on.
The duo were almost ready to turn Lagos red, although right now Liz was not sure which was worse, the fact that Pamela who usually loved baggy clothes and comfortable jeans was wearing something so scandalous or the fact that she wanted to go clubbing.
The drive down the streets of Lagos this time wasn't so bad, she was gradually getting used to the hustle and bustle.
They were waiting for the traffic light to turn green when Liz cleared her throat loudly and asked the big question "How long has he been cheating on you?"
All the signs were there, she had spent one week in Lagos already and the tension was so thick whenever they were alone without the kids.
Staring straight at the windshield Pamela wasn't even surprised that Liz knew after all her Job was to read people. "Dunno, he said it happened once."
"A mistake he regrets," her shoulder shrugged trying to give off the I Dont care vibes but her bottom lip quivered. "She is also pregnant."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Shame..." Shrugging again, "the continuous feeling of knowing that you are not enough."
"No one deserves to feel that way, and its not your fault it happened," grabbing her shoulder gently and squeezing it.
"I know that but infidelity makes you question everything about yourself." As she spoke she steered the car gently through traffic with a concentration that couldn't hide the pain in her eyes.
"You didn't even ask me who he cheated on me with?" Pamela asked.
Liz was quiet not knowing whether to ask who it was or if that mattered.
Pamela offered the answer on her own. "Nina, he cheated on me with Nina."
Oh man. Now that's messed up.
"Park beside the road there." Immediately Pamela obeyed Liz wrapped her arms around Pamela's small frame in a warm hug and she burst into tears again.
"Getting under another man, won't solve this problem or make you feel better you know?" whispering into her ears while rubbing soft circles on her bare back.
"Two can play my dear. We now have a open marriage." Pamela sniffed and blew snort in the tissues Liz pressed into her palms while she cried.
"You will also be hurting you and it will make matters worse," This time Liz used the pads of her finger to wipe her tears.
After a long period of crying and comforting Pamela touched up her make up through the car mirror.
As she did this Liz composed a small text to Chris telling him to meet them at the club.
"That reminds me I think I lost my purse at the airport probably during that collision. I doubt if I'll ever be able to recover it."
"Sorry babe. We can go back to the Airport to check tomorrow. " Pamela answered.
.
.
.
Loud music blared through the air as they made their way to the clubs revolving door amongst cat calls and whistle. Liz delayed getting down from the car a little under the pretense that she needed to touch up her makeup while secretly praying Chris made it here in time. Hence it was no surprise when Chris drove like a mad man into the parking lot.
"Wow!" Pamela scoffed out on sighting her husband stalking towards them.
The couple argued loudly for a while until she hissed out at Liz.
"Thank you for being so supportive," and moved away to enter the club amidst her husband's refusal.
All of a sudden Pamela was being thrown over Chris shoulder and apart from the fact that she was screaming like a banshee they made a cute couple.
Liz knew she was mad at her but later on she will understand that she did this for her.
"One of my security detail will pick you up right now" Chris said, grim angry line made a circle around his mouth.
"Are you drunk? Put me down!" Pamela screamed attracting attention from people.
Man was so pissed. He still looked hot though.
She watched on as he dumped her on the passenger side and drove off like a mad man.
***
The drive down the streets of Lagos with Chris security detail was supposed to be interesting but it wasn't. Liz shuddered again at the the betrayal in Pamela's eyes, it hurts a little.
I hate being the third wheel in any kind of relationship.
It wasn't that she wanted Pam to stay with him, heaven knows she can't be with someone who cheats on her but deep down she knew Pamela will regret sleeping with someone tomorrow.
On today's edition of the futility of love. Chris and Pamela almost made her believe love was actually real but there goes another bubble bursting right in front of her.
"Drive me to an hotel please" speaking to the security man whose name was Ben.
They needed space tonight at least. She would have stayed in an hotel if not for Pamela insisting she stayed with them and Pamela could convince a dead man to rise again, as long as that's what she wanted.
Settling into her hotel room wasn't so hard with only a tiny clutch bag. She flung the clutch bag on the white sheets and made for the bathroom to wash off the makeup which already felt sticky.
Her phone beeped with a text when she exited the bathroom and shame hurried thinking it was Pamela.
Baby, I've been trying to reach you. You won't return any of my calls, he passed away this morning in prison Elizabeth after battling with cancer, we need to talk. Please come home to London Liz, your step daddy is finally dead.
Liz covered her mouth with her hands to stifle the sobs that raked her entire being.
She really wished she killed him with the knife that day.
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What do you think so far leave me comments na 😑
So let's talk pipu!!! How ya doing? What are you doing during this period lemme know in the comments
Love and light
Orex