It Was a set up episode 7

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IT WAS A SET UP (EPISODE 7)

When we got outside, I saw the same SUV I saw the other time.

We entered the vehicle and we zoomed off.

None of us uttered a word throughout the journey.

We drove to a Hotel down town.

We were ushered into a room where we met people waiting for us.

I mean very senior citizens.

From the look of things, they were all rich.

‘Maybe Linda is an ashawo’, I thought.

We were given seats to sit.

Drinks were offered and merriments were made.

I was lost.

I did not understand what was happening.

“Why are they celebrating?”, I asked Linda.

“Make sure you don’t leave my sight”, she said as she stood up to greet a man across the room.

I became afraid.

I would have gone to use the restroom because I was pressed, but Linda had told me not to leave her sight.

So I remained rooted to my seat and my eyes glued to her.

“And who is that boy?” asked the man she greeted.

His question brought more fears to me.

“We are in this mess together. We were both accused of stealing the phone.”

They all laughed.

I forced myself to fake a smile.

Just when I managed to smile, a woman came out from another room and sat on a couch that was exclusively reserved for someone highly placed.

Everywhere became silent.

“Ladies and gentlemen”, she began. “It is no longer news that one of us betrayed us. He robbed us of what rightfully belonged to us. We made him what he is today, and we will strip him of everything. The Honorable Minister called and gave instruction as to what should be done in such a circ-mstance. Thanks to this beautiful …” she was pointing at our direction before stopping halfway.

“Please excuse my manners. My forgetfulness is burn out of anger. We all know ourselves except those two children.”

Actually, she was referring to Linda and I as “children” even though we were far above 18.

“That is my daughter and her friend. They are the latest victims of Dr Mike’s uncultured excesses. Thanks to them, we have now gotten a way to pay him back with his own coin. We have all it takes to nail him now, but we need a little time for my daughter to study these doc-ments”, said the woman as she handed over the doc-ments to Linda.

“Mike set up my daughter for his lustful desires and he must pay for it. I was told they were to appear before the panel in two days time. As we speak now, there will be no disciplinary committee to try my daughter. Rather, my daughter and her friend will now appear before the University’s Senate. Let Dr Mike defend himself before the Senate. He set them up, but indirectly, he set himself up.”

“Ehhmmm! Can they pull this through?”, asked one of the men.

“I trust my daughter. She’s the true daughter of her mother – a lioness. However, Barrister Adewale will be there as their legal representative. Please enjoy yourselves.”

She stood up and returned to the room she came out from.

Linda followed.

I was struck with awe.

I wanted to stay back, but Linda signaled me to follow her.

We entered the same room and we were ushered into a waiting vehicle outside.

The vehicle took us to Linda’s house.

It was a paradise on earth.

I used to see those types of houses on movies, but there I was live.

The house was so big that I began to wonder the kind of business they were into.

My mind suggested rituals.

‘And if their parents are ritualists, then I could be used as a sacrifies’, I thought.

It was almost 12 midnight.

“Please come in. Relax, everything will be fine”, said Linda.

“Wow!”, I kept saying it repeatedly.

“If there is heaven, this is it”, I told her.

She smiled and said: “You have a lot to ask, right?”

“Yes. Who are your parents and what do they do?”

“You’ve met my mother, she a business woman. You are yet to meet my father. He’s into many things. Please make yourself comfortable. I’ll join you soon.”

She climbed upstairs, changed up and returned.

“Are you hungry?”, she asked as she sat on the couch.

“Leave food for now please. Is your mother in,side?”

“No. I don’t think she will come back tonight.”

“Your parents are this rich, why are you schooling in Nigeria? You are supposed to school in the US or UK.”

She smiled.

“That’s my father for you. No schooling abroad, no private university. Just public schools. This is the reason I am always not happy. But I have no choice.”

“Are we not appearing before the disciplinary committee anymore?”

“Yes. We will now appear before the Senate.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know”

“You knew about it?”, I asked.

“Yes.”

“And why didn’t you tell me?”

“I only got to know it today.”

“So you mean the school was informed?”

“I guess.”

“Will your mother be comfortable seeing me here?”

“Yes. As a matter of fact, she knew you spent nights at my place.”

“What?”

“Yes. She knows everything about you.”

“How?”

“I told her.”

I took a deep breath, then continued.

“Your mother said Dr Mike betrayed them. How?”

“I don’t know. In fact, I don’t even want to know.”

“Na waooooh!”

“So who are they? I mean those men back there?”

“Interview closed. Time to sleep. Tomorrow we continue. You’ll be taken to your room. Good night.”

Linda returned upstairs.

Someone entered almost immediately.

“Hello Sir. This way please.”

I was taken to my room.

I could have enjoyed the luxury of that room, but I did not.

The room was too big for a poor boy like me.

I struggled not to sleep, but since no one can cheat nature, I fell to the waiting hands of sleep after struggling for hours.

I went into a deep sleep when people were already awake and it was morning already.

While still lost in deep sleep, my phone rang.

© Ezekiel Umoren