Circle, Accra Episode 10 – 11
Circle, Accra
Episode 10
Femi’s deep sleep was brought back to life after her phone started ringing, she was woken from her dreamland, located her phone which kept scre-ming like a baby in need of a mother’s attention.
It was Shuga, Femi knew this wasn’t good, she was supposed to call Shuga after she left Chief’s place, but she didn’t, not for any reason.
Femi: Hello Ma’, Good morning
Shuga: Yeah Good morning, where are you, you didn’t report back to me last night, hope everything is fine
Femi: Yeah, am fine
Shuga: Where is Tequila, I have not seen her the wh0le of yesterday, is she okay?
Femi: You mean Tequila is not at the club? I have been trying to reach her too, but I couldn’t
Shuga: Hmmm, this stupid girl might have taken me for varnishing again, I know
Femi: What do you mean by she has taken
you for varnishing?
Shuga: Look, Tequila has this habit for leaving without telling anybody about her where about, she has done that a couple for times, but I always find her and bring her back
Femi: Really, and you sure she’s doing that on purpose?
Shuga: She does a wh0le lot of things on purpose, like she’s unpredictable sometimes
Femi: So, are you going to bring her back like always?
Shuga: Nope, she’s matured, am not going after a grown up ass, when she’s broke, she will find her way back to me
Femi: Ok, I hear
Shuga: I will need you back at my place today, don’t be late
Femi: Okay, sure
Chills ran through Femi, Shuga was being nice, like she’s always rude when talking about Tequila, and suddenly she’s kind of exhibiting motherly care towards Tequila.
“Something is wrong with Tequila, Shuga has done something to her, and I’m very sure”…She said
She went through her messages and read one from which she believed was from Nedd, the guy she had agreed to meet early one.
Her mind was very occupied, she was thinking and wondering why she seem to have found herself in the grips of some powerful people, Chief, Shuga and now Nedd, the guy whom she believes wants to profess love and relationsh¡p to her, and relationsh¡p is almost the thing she wasn’t ready to get herself into, but she also believed that, when its behind her control, she might fall for it.
But now, finding Tequila is the most important thing to her now, after that she can attend to any other thing, but if she must find Tequila, she must start from the last place she saw her…Vienna
The Sun was reaching its peak when Femi stepped outside, the sun hit hærd on her face and she covered it lightly with her palm, she walked to check weather Tequila came back during the night, but no, and something wasn’t right, the padlock to the door has been tempered with, like someone has broken into the room, she knocked and called out Tequila’s name, but no response, she opened the door and walked in,side the room, the room was dark, the bulb was removed, and she could see Tequila’s belongings were gone, Femi has no background in detecting crimes, she wasn’t her detector, but she was very sure this scene wasn’t a robbery scene, her things were picked up, no ransacking nor displacement of things, Tequila’s bags full of clothes, shoes, handbags and other stuff were gone. She knew very well Tequila didn’t do this, she knew that very well within her heart. Whoever came in here is a male, she knew that from the shoe prints that were left in the room, she quickly dashed out of the room to locate Blakk.
“Blakk…Blaaakkk”….where you dey now?
Blakk: Omo Naija, you bring me something?
Femi: No Blakk, ebi you wey enter Femi’s room
Blakk: Why, sombre enter there?
Femi: What be that one too?
Blakk: Ohh, look, you for format the Nigerian pidgin, then install Ghana version okay…You dey Ghana now
Femi: Someone break enter Femi’s room, the padlock break, her things gone
Blakk didn’t wait to hear the rest, he quickly grabbed his shirt and went to check for himself
Someone broke the padlock, I believe with this stone…Femi ass**ted
Blakk: No, the person didn’t hit with an object , it was broken using an object that wouldn’t make noise, see the cut marks on the padlock, it was cut open, and see the shoeprints in the mad here, it was a guy
Femi: Yes, I saw the shoe prints in the room and I guessed same
Blakk: Have you tried calling her?
Femi: Yes, please, can you go and check at her Mum’s place, at least go alone if you wouldn’t take me along
Blakk: Hmm, ihear, ago go der maself, you for dey home
Femi: Ok, please today?
Blakk: Asure, make afinish ma thing den bounce
Femi had just entered her room when she got a call, it was Nedd…
Femi: Hello
Nedd: Hi Femi, I hope you are good?
Femi: Yes I am, what about you?
Nedd: I am doing well, and sorry I didn’t call in the morning
Femi: Oh, don’t worry, am cool
Nedd: So can you make it to the bar, or I
should come pick you up?
Femi: Mmmm, which time?
Nedd: Maybe 2pm
Femi: Okay, I’ll come myself, it’s just across the road, don’t waste your fuel
Nedd: Alright, I’d be expecting you
Femi: Okay
Femi was done bathing and combing her hair when a text message appeared on her phone, it was from Tequila, she opened it and its content surprised her
“Stop looking for me, I am fine”…Please take care of yourself”
Femi was awed, she tried calling the number but it was not reachable, she called Blakk…
Blakk: You mean she sent you a text message?
Femi: I’m not sure if it was her, but it was her number
Blakk: Look, the last time I checked, I completed the same school with Tequila, we all dropped out due to school fees and others, but Tequila dropped out of school due to extra reasons, she was bad at reading and writing, she will speak English quite well, but reading and writing…Trust me, her mother is better at that
Femi: Are you sure?
Blakk: Have you ever seen her read or write anything, check her room, there’s nothing too readable in there
Femi: Yeah I have realized that, so you think someone wrote that?
Blakk: I am very sure someone wrote that, Tequila couldn’t even spell Tequila, she spelt “Tikiilar”…
Blakk ended the call by cautioning Femi to be careful, she might be harmed if she’s seen or heard about looking for Tequila.
She knew that was true, she laid down in her bed, and for once thought of calling Chief, someone she believes might protect her.
Episode 11
Femi found herself standing in front of the bar, she stood stretching her neck to see weather Nedd might meet her at the entrance, when that proved futile, she reached for her phone, but before she placed the call, she heard her name from behind her.
Femi, Hi, am Nedd…
Femi: I was about just calling you
Nedd: Sorry you don’t know me by face, let’s get in,side
Nedd found a nice place in the VIP lounge to host his guest, Femi kept looking around, she liked the Bar, it was decent and cozy, with nice music playing with waiters and waitresses attending to customers with beaming smiles.
Nedd: You like the place?
Femi: I must confess, Yes…
Nedd: What will you like to take, just mention it
Femi: I’m not used to Ghanaian drinks, I’ll take whatever you take
Nedd: You take alcoholic beverages?
Femi: Not really…mmhmmm
Nedd: That’s fine, just give me some few minutes
Femi caught herself admiring Nedd un consciously, she scolded herself but again saw it needless. “I be human, I get body plus feelings… I no bi timber.. Ahh!!”
Nedd came back with a Waiter carrying some drinks and grilled chicken, Femi’s mouth watered, she has not tasted such goodies since she came into Ghana, her eyes fixed on the grilled Guinea fowl, buy she knew she must behave well, especially on a first date.
“So, sorry I had to go through illegal ways to get your contact, I just wanted to get in touch with you… I don’t know why I got attracted to you that fast?”… Nedd said
Femi: Oh, that’s okay… And I don’t really know why you think you’re attracted to me..
Nedd: Lol… Maybe you’re too beautiful
Femi: I don’t know about that, you tell me, am I?
Nedd: Even the blind will tell it to you that, you are gorgeous.
Whilst they ate, Femi was soo much in love with the chicken, she gazed at her plate and less looked directly into Nedd’s face.
Nedd: Oh wow, guinea fowl isn’t that popular, just sold at certain places… By the way can you tell me about yourself?
Femi: I’ll tell you about me when am done with this, so you tell me who Nedd is.
Nedd Smith was born and schooled in Ghana, he works as an Architect by profession, but over the years established himself into an entrepreneur and business man… He also has a couple of restaurants in Accra and a bar in Circle… Lexx Bar…
Femi: You mean that’s all you can say about yourself?
Nedd: No wife, no family, no kids?
Femi: Oh nope… But I have a father, a mother and three other siblings “I’m Femi, from Nigeria, life has never been fair to me, the last time I saw my family was many years ago, I have stayed in Benin too, and now Ghana… and here in the Kiosk Estate here in Circle”…. So I don’t really have anything to say about myself”… Femi said careless whilst she sipped on some wine.
Nedd: Woooh, Educational background?
Femi: I dropped out after SSS… I didn’t fail… But I had hærd live, not resources so I dropped out
Nedd: You had no family or friend to support you through?
Femi: Look, where I lived in Nigeria, everyone is poor because everyone else around is wobbling in poverty, and I was a girl… My family didn’t see the relevance of sending a girl to school, they will rather use that money to buy themselves kola nuts
Nedd: You say that easily, you have no regrets?
Femi: Nope, I was born into hærdsh¡p, I couldnt dictate how I grew up, circ-mstances did
Femi after receiving a call quickly asked to leave, she was enjoying her convo with Nedd, but she had to leave.
Nedd: I’ll chat with you on whatsapp, do you use Whatsapp?
Femi: Nope, I don’t have a smart phone, just this thing you guys call yam
Nedd: Hahaahaa, Let me meet you outside
Femi waited for Nedd outside the bar, he returned shortly was a phone which he handed over to Femi.
Nedd: Download whatsapp, we will chat from there
Femi: Oh, Thank you.. You have an interesting way of catching vibes
Femi went over to her place and quickly unbox the phone, she had wanted this, but she didn’t just want to buy it with her money, she would rather safe, and she was very grateful Nedd gave her that, even though they just met, she had to take it, afterall there are no terms and conditions applied.
Shuga was the one who had called Femi early on, she really wanted her to go deliver a package to a Customer, and she wanted her to come early to Vienna. She dressed up and slipped her sim card into the smart phone and it to life, a Samsung S8 is a beautiful, just like herself, she thought.
Before she left, she went to check on Blalk, but he wasn’t back, and he had not called Femi as he had promised, with that, she waved an Okada which took her to Vienna which was already coming to live.
Shuga: Femi, how are you?
Femi: I’m fine Ma’, you?
Shuga: I’m good, thanks for coming early, have you heard from Tequila?
Femi: No Ma’
Shuga: Chief said you treated him well, you did good
Femi: Thank you Ma’
Shuga: This is GHS500, that’s your cut, he didn’t pay much
Femi: Thank you
Shuga: I need you to deliver this package to a client in Spintex, it’s confidential so please don’t temper with it, and guide it with your life, I’ll pay you after you deliver it successfully
Femi: You’re making me nervous, what exactly am I delivering?
Shuga: You don’t have to worry about that, your job is to deliver it, there’s a Motorbike outside that will take you there
Femi: Ok Ma’
Shuga: And hey, you’re not just delivering, He will also need your services… I have negotiated with him already… All payment will be made directly into my account, so no cash payment.
Femi sat behind the bike, her mind clouded and fear again registered on her face, she has with her a brown envelope and only heavens knows what she’s carrying, what if she’s carrying a contrabond?…
What if she’s stopped by the police? She didn’t understand why Chief gave her extra cash, and why didn’t Shuga disclose the amount Chief paid to her, buy gave her GHS500,did that make her percentage? And who was she delivering this package to, and anytime she saw a police officer or police vehicle, her heart missed a beat, sitting tight behind the motorbike, like a sheep been taken to the slaughter house.
To be continued…
Language is crafted to sometimes reflect the background of the character
Pidgin English is a corrupted form of English spoken in Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and other English speaking countries in Africa.