Chapter 5

Dara, Brenda and Boma entered into the sitting room to find Mrs Igwe seated on the three seater chair with a blue glittery card in her hands. It was an invite to the Duncan's party. Brenda rolled her eyes on seeing it her hands.

She knew her mother had been snooping through her stuffs.

"Mom what are you doing with that card ?"

"I was even going to ask you how this card managed to find way into your hand bag."

"Is that what I think it is?" Boma asked moving closer then she collected it examining it. "This is an invite to the Duncan's party, people don't just get invited anyhow. You have to know someone, that knows someone, even me that I'm making investigation on them, I've been looking for someone to get me the invite"

"Weren't you the one who gave me the invite?" Brenda asked Boma and she chuckled, "Which Invite?" She hissed, "That's my problem with you, you don't know how to lie, simple lie, you can't lie! Me that I'm explaining that I've been looking for invite, ah! May God deliver you Brenda!"

Brenda rolled her eyes,  "Normal friends would have said, ah it's true oh, I forgot that you gave me the invite," "Abnormal friends would have said so, besides the last time I checked, I'm only friends with Dara and not you!"

"Where did you get it from?" Mrs Igwe asked and Brenda rolled her eyes again. "You had better speak the truth"  "A friend gave it to me" "Brenda!" Her mother called out and she looked away.

"Mom I don't like it when you guys try to make me look like a liar, I'm not a liar. A friend gave me that thing"

"What do you want to go and do in that party? This party is exclusive, only the big caucus are allowed in, how did you get such an invite"

"I just answered the question!"

"What business do you have there?"

"To do what every normal person does in every party; have fun!"

"You want to meet him right? I heard your call, you want to meet his father right?" She asked and Dara gazed at her mother, "Kelvin I here! You guys should stop talking about such matters when he's around. Mentally, it's not okay for him"  She complained holding Kelvin away.

"Don't tell me you're still having sex with the same man that put you in this mess, that'll be stupid"

"I'm not meeting up with him! I'm just going there to have fun that's all!"

"Will you keep your voice down? Who's your mate here that you're shouting on now?" Her mother asked and Brenda dragged the invite from her mother's hands then she stormed into her room.  "You guys had better talk to this girl! You better talk to.." she trailed off then she heard the door shut, it was her husband and Ruby.

"What's the noise all about?" Mr Igwe asked and everyone kept quiet. They didn't even hear him drive in with the whole drama going on. 

Boma raised her hands up, "I better go back to my own house, good evening Sir"

"Stay back!" He demanded and Boma refrained from rolling her eyes.

"What has Brenda done again?" He took a wild guess and his wife hissed.

Boma entered into Brenda's room, "Did you forget something?" "No. Your mom said I should talk to you but the truth is, I don't have shit to say to you, If I'm being honest. You're a liar, I mean can you believe your son is six and no one knows who the father is"

"Cause it's no one's business"

"Are you sure you weren't Impregnated by the Dr. Otunba Duncan?"

"Oh please! How would that have happened? Abeg!" Brenda waved her hands, "I don't have you time cause if i wanted to investigate you, I would have but what you use your yansh for is none of my business"

"What do you want then?"

"An exclusive entrance into the Duncan's party." She smiled and Brenda hissed. "No!" "Abeg now!"  "No,no and no!"

"I promise not to rain on your parade. I just want to do my own thing, you can feel free to do your own thing. Sho ti gbo? (Have you heard?)"

"No"

"Please now! You know it's not everyday you hear me say please. I'm begging you. Aid my investigation, please say yes" she crossed her fingers waiting for her to give a reply. 

Saturday

"It's the Saturday road show and if you're just tuning in, this is 95.5 mood FM and we're still available to give you entertainment at it's best. How's your Saturday going? Mine is going well, I just got back from the gym, I'm still on my one month journey to grow a bigger butt." She whispered and another male presenter, Ehiz laughed.

"Is that even possible?"

"You know guys, just because I said I'm trying to grow a bigger butt doesn't mean you'll have to stare at my buttocks when I pass, it's annoying?" She exclaimed and he laughed. 

"It won't even let it grow quickly sef"

"Shey?" She asked and he nodded.

"So it's your Saturday road show, how's is the traffic on the road? No other station gives you those jams better than mood FM. The phone lines are opened for calls but first let's allow you guys nod to this one from T-classic, Nobody fine pass you"

7:10 pm

Music blast from the Duncan's duplex.  Boma dressed in a white gown entered with Brenda who was clad in a white jumpsuit. They both looked around the beautiful scenery.  "J-E-S-U-S, oh my God! What kind of house is this? As I'm entering, if you know the fear that's catching me now. What if they spot that we're not part of them and they trying to use us for ritual?"

"You and this your ritual talk! Stop acting like a village girl. Don't make me regret taking you with me, act with class"

"Class that your mother gave to you shey? I'm a average Nigerian living on a minimum wage. Let me continue to leave my life as a village girl. Mehn the house is too fine, its like I'm in heaven." She looked at the garden carved into different structures. "It's like the garden of Eden here"

"Bush girl, this is where we part"

"Why?"

"We're not twins, neither are we family relatives so Madam, you better dey your dey make I dey my  dey" she raised her palm up and Boma hissed. "You want to meet someone shey?"

"I thought you came to do your own Investigation? Didn't we make a deal that you aren't going to rain on my parade. Do your business and leave me to mine!" She snapped, "Incase you get caught, I don't know you oh and don't know me capiche?"

"Capiche," Boma answered and they both went their separate ways.

Dunni who was dressed in a white gown watched her daughter laugh with Shade then she walked towards them. "Hello dearies" she flashed a smile at the both of them and Winny frowned.

"Good evening Ma" Shade replied.

"Good evening dear, how are the both of you doing?"

"We're fine Ma" she answered then she looked at Winny, "Aren't you going to answer?"

"Why should I answer?" She snapped, "I mean I don't have anything nice to say"

"Winny!" Shade retorted then she turned her gaze back at Dunni. "Sorry Aunty, I think she's high on perfume today"  "It's okay. I think you both look amazing"

"Thank you Ma" Shade answered. "I swear to God Winny, the next question I answer alone, I'll punch you in the arm real good"

"What do you want me to say?" Winny asked moving close to ber mother. "Thank you, Mom I'm fine, I'm not fine. I've not been fine in a long while and it's your fault Mom. I'm pretty sure the only reason why you're here is because of the drink and not me. Let's cut the act" She snapped leaving and Shade slapped her face.

"I'm sorry Ma. I seriously don't know what that girl is smoking these days"

"It's fine. Just follow her closely, please continue to be a friend to her"

"Yes Ma. I'm sorry once again" she apologized before leaving.

Dunni's fingers twitched, she felt as though she could have given her daughter a good old slap; it could have attracted attention but it could be have sent her a message.

She was already becoming tired of the insults her daughter chips in every now or then!

Dunni's eyes now fell on her ex-husband who was chatting with her brother Funsho, her step brother Gbade, and two business friends.

"A man must know how to trade well! You thread down the business lane with accuracy and meticulousness so you don't end up suffering a huge sloppy loss like Good luck did. It's a really devasting news, I am highly sympathetic about the outcome of the trade. I'm sure the guy must be on the verge of changing his name to bad luck as we speak" he joked and everyone laughed.

"You're bad mouthed" Folabi noted,
"At least I don't have a bad breath like you do" he snapped and others laughed. "Look at this guy," Thomas hissed now turning towards Funsho who was fiddling with his phone.

"How far now? Your mind no even dey this party sef, hope no wahala"

"I'm fine... I'm listening. I just have things I have to settle" he said leaving and Gbade's phone rang. "I have to go too, I have business" he said leaving and Thomas hissed.

"You guys are no fun!" He snapped then he turned towards Dunni flashing a smile at her.  He raised a glass of wine up at her, then he winked at her.

She rolled her eyes filled with so much irritation. She felt the need to get rid of the irritation by a taking a drink.

Chris Holland listened to Tise talk about herself, meanwhile wishing he could disappear. He didn't understand why his parents had to match make them for the evening. He quickly glanced at his phone and Tise rolled her eyes.

"This is the third time you're doing that. I'm pretty sure I'm not a boring person"

"Huh?" He asked and she rolled her eyes.

"I'm a psychologist and you're showing signs of disinterest and it's not really nice, it's rude"

"Shit... I'm sorry about that. I apologize for that. It wasn't intended"

"It wasn't?"

"From the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry"

"I'm not interested in the date either" she confessed and his brow arced in surprise. "Yes. I'm not interested, the only reason I agreed to this is because both our mothers are watching us right now" she paused staring at her mother who with watching them along with Chris's mother.

They both looked away then Tise chuckled at how childish they were acting.

"Besides i don't want my mom yapping on and on about me not getting serious with any relationship. Quite honestly, I'm not interested in getting married yet, not like the rest marriages in the family has ever worked out. I'm not mocking anyone, I just think I need to take a breather, I'm not ready for marriage yet. Am i talking too much? I'm definitely talking too much right?"

"Yes you are" he answered truthfully and they both ended up laughing.

"But I took something out of it. It tells more about your personality, you're a good person"

"Don't be so quick to judge. I'll leave you now, nice to meet you Chris"

"You too Tise"

Dunni entered into the sitting room, she wanted to be away from the party. Her eyes were heavy, she felt the need to cry so she took two glasses of wine from the tray carried around by one of the waiters. She gulped the first one and the second after it.

She dropped both glasses on the one of the drawers by the side of the wall then she wiped her lips with the back of her palm. "Take it easy on the drink my dear" she heard her father's voice say from behind then she turned towards Dr. Duncan who was dressed in a white agbada.

"Daddy, good evening Sir"

"When did you arrive? I waited for you all before the party began. I wanted us to have our usual ritual but you all came whenever you felt like"

"I wasn't even sure I'll show up"

"Si egbe baba re? Ah! Se o mo pe o ma ti se baba re (To your own father's party? Ah! You don't know that you could have sinned against your own father.) I would have looked for you in that place you stay, it's like your don't know me" he replied and Dunni laughed.

"Daddy i wasn't in a good mood"

"Same excuses you're always giving, the sooner you drop all those excuses, the better for you my dear, the better, the better. Won't you hug your own father again, abi you're not in a good mood to do that one again?" He asked and she embraced him inhaling his perfume then she exhaled bursting into tears.

"Just let it out, let it flow on my back. That was how your tears used to flow down my back those days, It's not a crime"

"Daddy, o ti sun mi, (Daddy I'm tired)"

"Ma je ko rẹ o? (Don't be tired)" he hissed, "Wo, you haven't even seen anything in life oh and you're tired" "My daughter doesn't listen to me, it's like she doesn't like me any longer"

"Who said so? Tan so bẹ? (Who said so?) Besides, if she doesn't listen to anyone, she obviously took if from you"

Dunni pulled away, "Daddy i wasn't this sturbborn. Mi ọ fun e ni wahala bi omodebinrin yìí se n fún mi (I didn't give you headache like this girl is giving me) You will speak to her and she won't listen, she doesn't even regard me as her own mother"

"Take it easy. All these tears that you're crying, I'm sure you'll smile soon. Just stop drinking, it's making your mother really worried and she has a lot of worries already, you know she does. So I heard you got relieved of your job"

"I'm sorry Sir, it was necessary"

"I don't know what to do, I'm not fit to practice yet"

"Find another thing to do, another hobby then" "Medicine is my life" "I didn't mean that, I meant take a trip to South America, do anything you want, I'll be solidly by your side. Emi ni mo so! (I said so!). Who knows you might end up bringing a man from Barcelona to... to come and bless" he teased and Dunni laughed.

"You have a way of making me laugh every time"

"That makes me your father doesn't it? I know each and every one of you."

"Thank you for being that man"

"Where is that your brother Funsho sef?"

Mrs Bimbo took a break from talking to her friends then she walked up her daughter smiling. "How was your little chat with Chris?"

"It was fine" Tise answered and her. Mother frowned on recognizing that tone. "Mom he's fine but he's not what I want"

"What do you want? Tise I'm beginning to suspect you're a lesbian" she whispered, "Bi o ba mu omo dinrin kan wa fun mi lati fẹ,eh Boluwatise! Mo ma fi owo Ira mi mejeeji pa e ni ojo yen (If you bring me a stupid girl to marry, eh Boluwatise! I'll use my two hands to kill you that day)"

Tise laughed, "Mom now you're being dramatic" "Dramatic kor, drama.." before she could complete her sentence some camera men walked up to them to take pictures.

They both smiled for the camera watching the camera crew guys leave their sight.  Mrs Bimbo held her daughter's hand. "Tise, nitori olorun, don't put me to shame in the name of God. You want your father's other wives to mock at me ni?"

"I'm certainly not going to bring a girl home, be sure of that. It's definitely going to be a man but it might not even be this year so don't raise your hopes up... Just saying sha"

"Where's your elder brother?" She asked, "He left already" "Lai so fun mi? (Without telling me?)"

"He had to rush out, you know how he has a lot in mind right?"

Boma took a bite out of one of the meat in a stick at the barbecue section then she shut her eyes pleasuring in the sumptuous taste. "Oh God!" She looked at the man at the stand. "This is glorious. Look at me eating meat that could be human meat" she complained and the man raised a disproving brow at her.

She turned back only to hit Gbade who was on a call. The oil from the barbecue stained his shirt and he his eyes fell on the stain then he glared at her. 

Jesus!!!! She screamed within, they'll finally send me out of the party, you didn't hit better people, you went to hit the grumpy Duncan!

"It's just small stain oh" she said cleaning it only to find her oily finger prints stained on the shirt. "Eishhh" she said then she laughed.

"My village people" she muttered then she looked up at him. "I'm sorry" she apologized and Gbade hissed walking away.

"Don't shout at me, I'll be with you shortly. Where are you?"  He asked the caller and Boma hissed.

"Grumpy stupid doctor! Acting as if he's better than everybody!"

Brenda dialed a number but the caller refused picking then she sent a message to him. "I'm at the party now, where are you and why aren't you picking up the call again? I'm very angry! Very angry😡" she pressed send letting out a long hiss.

"You must be pretty mad at him for keeping you waiting" she heard someone say from behind so she turned her back at the tall light complexioned figure behind her. 

Hello handsome!

She swallowed hard then she flipped her hair to the left side. "Hello" she fine-tuned her voice and he smiled. "Do I know you?" She added and he shook his head. "No. I don't think we've met, at least not in this life, maybe our previous life perhaps" he replied and she chuckled a bit. "I guess I have to apologise to being rude. Was I being rude?"

"Not as rude as the one keeping me waiting"

"Ah i see.... I was right, so there's a guy keeping you waiting"

"See them, Nigerians, always making assumptions. Who said anything about the person being a man?" She asked and he laughed. "Forgive my forwardness"

"Apology accepted" she answered and they both laughed.

"So it's a he isn't it"

"Why do you still want to dwell on that topic?"

"Out of curiosity, I guess I'm a curious type. It's my vice"

"Curiosity kills the cat"

"So I've heard" he replied and they both laughed again. "It's a man" she answered and he nudged his fist up.  "I knew it! It has to be a man, your boyfriend?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I really don't want to step on another man's property'

Brenda laughed at how direct he was. "He's not my boyfriend" "Hm"

"What's hm?"

"What?"

"That's Nigerian linguistics for 'yes, feel free to lie to me or whatever makes you sleep at night"

"Are you always this doubtful?" He asked and she laughed. "Yes. Most of the times. Well I was waiting for a friend, he was supposed to reach an agreement on a business proposal but he hasn't been picking up his calls." Brenda answered and Chris grew in interested.

"What business proposal?"

What????? Is this guy serious? Why does he want to know? What kind of stupid curious person is this? What will I say oh, what will i say oh

She flashed a smile at him, trying to maintain a straight face.  "He's not picking up his call. Maybe he's not at the party or he bailed, well, Usman has always been the kind to bail"

"Is it Usman Ibrahim? From Walleck's paint? I think I saw him a while ago"

Seriously???? Brenda asked within. Is this guy kidding me? He has to be kidding me!

"It's not that Usman, it's Usman Daniel"

"Oh. I really don't know that one"

Brenda sighed in relief even if she didn't let it show. "Oh. Too bad"

"So what was the business proposal?" He asked again and she laughed nervously.

You hot persistent bastard!

"Fish pond business"

"You want to engage in it"

"No, it's for a friend. I don't even know the least bit about catching a fish or rearing one. I can only catch them red handed when they're fried on my plate" she answered and he laughed.

"You're funny"

"Thank you"

"And pretty too"

"You don't look bad either" she replied, "Forgive my manners, I feel like I'm going to keep apologizing. My name is Chris...." He hesistated calling his surname. "Chris Daniel. What's your beautiful name?"

"How are you sure it's not a ugly name"

"A beautiful woman like you?"

"I'm Brenda Igwe"

"Of the ibo tribe right?"

"Are you a tribalist?"

"No way." He shook his head, "I'm actually a cross breed anyways; my mother is of the Ibibio tribe and my Dad is of the ibo tribe"

"I see. That's interesting, which of the language do you speak well?"

"None of the above" she answered and he laughed. "Shame on you! A big shame by the way"

Brenda gasped, "It's not my fault." "Whose fault is it? I'm a Yorùbá boy and I speak my language well and I speak Hausa well too"

"I speak Yoruba well"

"Oh God" he shook his head again, "Shame on you, you're no cross-breed, in fact, you're a shame to the two tribes that birth you" 

"Stop it! You're making me feel bad" She tapped him on the arm and he held her palm. "So soft, lazy to rhe core, doesn't do house chores"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm reading you" he answered and she laughed pushing him playfully. It felt like she was talking to an old friend rather than a stranger. Chris made it so easy!

Brenda wondered how he knew she doesn't do much house chores. Ruby and Dara usually handles everything!

"I do home chores"

"I doubt that"

"You said you speak Hausa"

"Yes. I was in Kano, then Abuja before I got transferred to Lagos and the beauty of it."

"Wow. How do you know the Duncan's... Are you a relative or something?"

"No. I'm a friend of one of the sons, I just got back and I was dragged to this party. I didn't even want to come at first but right now i don't really regret coming"

"Why?"

"I met a very pretty lady dressed in white"

"There are a lot ladies dressed in white so you have to be specific"

"Her name is Brenda Igwe and she's dressed in a white jumpsuit" he specified and she giggled.

"Does that line really work out on ladies?"

"You tell me, I've never tried it before" he answered and she giggled even more. "You're not even funny and I'm giggling like an idiot"

"Maybe I'm a comedian" he smiled and she chuckled. "How did you get invited?" He asked and she chuckled, "Usman pulled some strings"

"I see, what do you do for a living? You look like a fashion person" he guessed and she faked a chuckle, "Perfect guess"

"Seriously? Are you one of those people who usually deliver clothes late or those who mix client's orders?" He asked laughing at his own assumptions and the she scoffed.

"None of the above. I'm usually efficient"

"What's your brand?" He asked and she racked her head remembering Portia's fashion Brand.  "S and A, Sleek and Affordable, it's a well known Brand"

"Wow. That's super amazing"

"I am amazing"

"Am I glad I met you today, I would really like us to talk more"

Boma walked through the garden then she sighted someone on the floor. It wasn't hard to notice from the white apparel. A closer look at it, she found a dark lady's body on the floor, there was thickened blood at the side of her lips and blood on the floor as though she had vomited blood before she died.

Boma tilted backwards then she fell on the floor.

"Help!!!" she screamed in fear.

Sorry it's coming late. These guys haven't brought the light in a week now. I'm just struggling to charge from one place to another 🤦🏽‍♀️😂

What do you think about today's update?

What's going on?

Who killed this girl?

More suspense shey? 😲

Don't forget to drop comments and click on that orange 🌟

Love you guys!!!!😘😘

Might drop another episode Sha🤞