LOVE & JUSTICE! Episode 3.

To read the previous episode, click Here

******

(Joseph)

I gaze in awe because words found it hard to leak out from her mouth. This woman is truly a God sent. Lucky is a special woman and I will hold her dearly in my soul forever.  I know my heart tells me she is the one for me and we are destined to be together. I want her to be the mother of my unborn children and I will make that happen, no matter what. I will put more effort and work more so that I can be able to take good care of her and our future.

“I am still waiting for you to say something.” Lucky said and moved a little bit closer. 

I could hear her breathing and her grey eyes were alluring. 

She whispered to me in a silky voice. “I love you Joseph.”

“I love you too.” I said it back to her. Lucky had a great and extraordinary effect on me. What I sense whenever I am in her presence seems so intense, yet very warm. I wanted to hold her, but held back. I had no intention to make her upset. 

“Kiss me,” she muttered and enthused to brush her glossy lips again mine a little. We concentrated into each other’s eyes and I felt like we were in our own universe alone together. As long as we have chosen to be lovers, it will be forever. We peered a little longer before I engrossed every corner of her buttered lips with my full mouth and her watery tongue crossed inside. The fragrance of her silky hair maneuvered into my nostril. We kissed deeper and ate each other lips like a hungry lion. I wanted her all to myself. I craved for this woman to be by my side for eternity. 

I know I am from a Christian home and should wait for a kiss or sex after marriage but she was tempting. Her soft and smooth skin enticed me. My mother still believes that a matured man like me is still a virgin. I know she had preached against premarital sex to me but I could not keep that devotion, the sin took over my flesh but ever since I walked out on my last relationship, I stop being intimate with a woman.

We had to let go the moment we heard the sound of Sister Theresa’s car. Lucky dazzled one of her charming smiles at me.

I smiled back and tapped her mildly on her nose. “I love your nose.”

Lucky giggled.

“Thank you,” she said eagerly. 

I have never felt this kind of emotion before. I thought I fell in love in my first relationship in the past, I am sure that should have been a crush. This was different. It was love. 

I call it an Unbreakable love.

I took her by the hand and we whisked back to the living room. My mother entered through the entrance door and she was not in her best happy facial look. Lucky greeted her and she answered her well, but I suspected something was wrong. 

“You are welcome,” she said to my beautiful princess. “I hope you have eaten?”

“Yes ma.” she said excitedly. “You really taught Joseph how to cook fantastically.”

“I am happy he treated you nicely before I came home. I hope you went to church?”

“Yes ma.”

“Good.” Mom said and looked at me. “I need some rest.”

“Your food is ready.”

“Thank you son but I don’t think I have appetite to eat, maybe later. I hope you did not put any snail inside the food you prepared?”

“Joseph loves snail?” Lucky asked. I scratched the top of my head. 

She glanced at Lucky. ”Yes. He likes it a lot.”

“I used beef this time.” I finally said to her.

“That’s better,” she said and glanced back at Lucky again. “You are free to come here anytime. I have to go to bed now.”

“Thank you very much ma. I really appreciate it.” She opened her arms and hugged Sister Theresa. She left the both of us and we sat down side by side on the only longest sofa.

“I want to know about you Lucky.” I said to her.

She crossed her legs and dropped her hand on my right lap. “I also want to know more about you too.”

“I told you I don’t know my real parents.”

“I don’t care because you did not choose this for yourself. I hope you know it is not your fault they abandoned you. They were the one that lost a good man. A child they should have been proud of.”

My eyes started to get wet. No one has ever said such sweet and inspiring words to me. “Thank you.”

“I think I am already getting tired of the thank you, you say to me. Don’t you get tired?”

I laughed and cleaned my eyes. I said to her. “No. I’m just like you. You don’t ever get tired of smiling.”

The smile on her well-shaped lips enlarged. I leaned forward and kissed her. She licked her lips in a seductive way.

“You are very beautiful and I wonder what you saw in a man like me.”

She gave me a look. “I see a good man and that is enough for me.”

“What can I offer you Lucky? You are rich and I am not. What can I possibly give to you that is more than what you already have?”

“You.”

“What?” I asked puzzled.

“Forget about my status. What is wealth without love and happiness? All I desire is you and I believe when you will give me your commitment, trust and love. All I want is you and the only thing I beg of you is never to break my heart. I will not be able to handle it.” 

“I can never break your heart. I should be the one asking you not to break mine. I love you Lucky.”

“And I love you too Joseph.”

I sighed. “Sister Theresa saw me inside a basket in front of her church many years ago. Ever since then, she offered to take good care of me.”

“She did a good job.”

I told her about my educational background and the place I worked as an accountant. 

“What about your past ex-girlfriends?” she inquired.

I told her of my past relationships. I narrated how my last girlfriend behaved, how she wanted to control my life, wanted me to leave Sister Theresa, and move into her house.

“She should not have asked you for that. Anyways, that’s all gone.”

“What about you?” I enquired.

“I thought I was going to get married to my last boyfriend. If I had done that, he would have turned me into his punching bag. I have tried to be faithful, good but it wasn’t good enough. Those men wanted more from me. They wanted more time to spend with them, more money, and material things. I can be generous if I want to but you don’t have to force me. The issue that made me and my first boyfriend to break up was because of my closeness with my brother.”

“Really?” I asked dazed.

“Yes. He said I loved my brother more than him and that there are things I should not be discussing with him. He told me Nathan would advise me wrongly because he was naïve and young. My brother is twenty-five years old now and he remains my confidant even though we argue most times. How can I not be close to my only brother? What if I was an only child, it would have been very lonely.”

I put down my face. I understood. I know despite Sister Theresa’s effort, sometimes I still feel alone. I might not even be an only child. What if I truly have sisters and brothers? Even if I do, I don’t think they will know I exist.

She added, “My grandfather is my closest friend and I have a new one now and you are that person.”

I tapped the top of her nose slightly. I really liked doing it to her. 

She grinned at me. “Are you ready to be with me forever?”

“Yes my love, I am ready.”

Lucky removed the smile on her lips and she rose on her feet and moved three steps forward. She turned her back at me. “I am not really a strong person. When I love something, I love it with every inch of my heart. I don’t know why I get so attach to you, and I am begging you Joseph, don’t ever leave me.”

She sounded as if she wanted to cry. I stood and stayed behind her. “I will never leave you.”

“I am going to be the new CEO of TOK company. My father owns it and he will hand over everything to me soon.”

“I have heard of that company before. I think it is a construction company?”

She rotated and faced me. I saw tears dripping down. “Yes.”

“But why are you crying? I don’t understand.”

“Before I met you,” she said in a croaky voice. “I loved two things dearly. They are my family and the company. I do not joke with the both of them. My father values his company and he wants to give me because he thinks I can do a better job and make it grow more. That is what I intend to do." Finally, Lucky stare into my eyes. “Now, there is a third. I really want to be the only woman for you and I will love, respect and honor you. You have found your way into my heart and it will smash to pieces if you ever leave me.”

I saw fear in her eyes. She expressed as if she was scared that I would hurt her. I got nearer and raised her chin up. “Don’t ever think I will hurt you.”

“Then promise me, promise me you and I are going to be together for eternity. The only thing that can separate us is death.”

I grabbed her hands to hold firmly. “I know I may not be able to give you gold, diamond or even silver. I want you to know that there will be a time, when I will give you anything you want, even diamond! I promise you my love, heart and soul. What I feel for you is beyond me, I swear my love for you is real and you are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

“Me too Joseph, I feel like I have known you for a long time. I feel so stupid for professing what I feel.”

“No my love,” I said. “We are drunk in love.”

We giggled like children. She ran her full lips on my mouth without prior notice and we kissed again. 

“I can’t wait for you to meet my brother and grandfather. The two of them will love you!”

“I hope so but what about your parents?”

Lucky took a deep breath. “I don’t want to lie,” she said. “You are a likeable person but…”

“Say no more. When we get to that bridge, we will surely cross it my love.”

Lucky gave a broad smile. We went back to sit down. She wanted water to drink, instead of her to ask, she went to the kitchen to get herself some. She was down to earth. 

Sister Theresa was still in her room sleeping, Lucky stayed a little longer with me. We chatted, exchanged contacts and watched a Hollywood movie before she left. She had forgotten she came with her driver and she apologized for keeping him waiting for long inside the car. She promised to buy him some food before they go home. We pecked each other. I hugged Lucky, the woman I was definitely going to marry one day. She is the one for me.

*****

“Where have you been?” Thelma asked her daughter Lucky the moment she stepped her foot into the living room. Nathan was eating an early dinner at the dining table. “Look at the time!”

She looked at her expensive silver wristwatch. “It’s 5:30pm.”

“You always come home immediately after church. Where did you go to?”

Lucky raised her eyebrows. “Are you monitoring me now?”

“All I need is an answer!” her mother shouted. “Don’t ask me any question.”

“I am not a kid mom and I went to see my boyfriend!”

“I don’t believe you have one,” she said hostilely. “You would have told me about him. I know you are doing this because of Dominic!”

“I cannot marry that man,” she said in a serious tone. “And if he remains persistent about the marriage arrangements, I will make him my enemy!”

“You lie! Lucky, I said you lie!! He has been calling you and you have refused to pick his calls. You will marry him even if I have to force you to the alter myself!!”

She stared at her mother with a shocked expression. “You are screaming at me because I refused to pick Dominic’s calls? Mom, has it gotten like this? Dad said I could be with my boyfriend if I know he is the one. I know he is the one and I choose him.”

 

“You don’t have a boyfriend!!”

“What is the meaning of this whole noise in my household?” Tom Okoye enquired from them as he sauntered into the sitting room. Nathan looked at the three of them and went back to eat his remaining food. “Have the two of you decided to turn my house into a market place?”

“I am sorry dad.” Lucky said and bow down her head.

“I did not fall,” he said firmly. “Why the noise Thelma? Your voice woke me up from sleep?”

Thelma apologized. “I am deeply sorry my darling husband. I am only telling Lucky to be prepared.”

“To be prepared for what?”

“She should be prepared to get married to Dominic.”

“But I have a boyfriend mom.” Lucky said in a disturbed tone. “I have a special man in my life.”

“I don’t believe her.” her mom spoke to her father.

“She has a boyfriend.” Nathan said and rose to meet them. “I have met him.”

Tom raised his left eyebrow. “Are you sure?”

“Yes father.”

He took a glance at his daughter. “Whenever he comes back from his journey, your mother and I will speak to him.”

“That will be done father,” she said happily. “You will like him.”

He said nothing and moved to the dinning. He requested for his dinner. Thelma frowned and went into the kitchen. Nathan winked at his sister and she noiselessly whispered a thank you. Lucky went to her room, pulled off her clothes and have a warm bath. She went to check on her grandfather. He was awake and she told him a little about Joseph.

“The most important thing is for him to be ready to love and take good care of you.” he said to her.

“I don’t know if dad will accept him. He is an orphan.”

“He is a human being. He did not fall from the sky, my son your father should not reject him because he is an orphan. He may be reluctant at first because of his status but one thing I know your father will never take from you is your happiness. Tom wants his children to be happy.”

“I can’t wait for you to meet him.”

“Me too my most treasured.”

Before Lucky went back to her room, she went to her brother’s room to thank him again for saving her from the claws of their suppressing mother.

******

At 8pm, Joseph knocked on Sister Theresa’s door twice before she gave him a response for him to enter. She was seating on top of her bed. He carried the plastic chair in her room, placed it in front of her and he sat on it. 

“It is getting late,” he said to her in a concerned tone. “You have not eaten lunch and dinner. Tell me what is going on.”

She sighed. “Is it obvious?”

“Yes. What is bothering you?”

The nun shook head sympathetically and looked at him. “I have been selfish and unfair to you.”

“I don’t understand you mother. You have been kind and good to me.”

“You don’t understand,” she said. “I should have told you before now but it’s never too late.”

“What is that?”

“It’s never too late to search for your true family. You need to locate your mother.”

He got up angrily and wandered around her room. “So this is the reason that you have refused to eat.”

“Father Abraham is right. I should have advised you to search for her. I know you have a mother because I saw her in front of the church that day. I doubt she was a member of the church but we could go to the three hospitals close by and ask them for the records of the women that gave birth during that period she brought you to the church.”

“What if I don’t want to know?”

“You have to, just do it for the sake of God. I am sure one of the reasons he spared your life is to look for her and show her the man that you have become. She will regret ever neglecting her responsibility. I know favor will locate you very soon. Try and find her.”

“I am not interested.”

“Why? I thought you would like to know where you are really from.”

“What if I search and at the end of everything, what I find is not good.”

“Be hopeful my son. Do not think in a negative way.”

“I have work tomorrow,” he said dryly. “I will see you in the morning. Goodnight.”

Sister Theresa shook her head. “Good night.” She pitied Joseph.

******

Lucky called Dominic’s international number before she said goodbye to the night.

“Why haven’t you been picking my calls?!” he requested in an imposing tone. 

“What is the meaning of the marriage talk you discussed with my mother?” she asked in a coordinated voice. She never wanted to speak rudely to him. She still considered him a friend.

“You know I have always loved you Lucky.”

“I never knew and I don’t want to know now,” she said. “I will forget about the whole thing when you come back to Nigeria if you call my parents and tell them you no longer want to marry me.”

“But I want you to be my wife. Our children will be very brilliant!”

She gave a low laugh. “I value our childhood memories and friendship. Do not make me regret ever knowing you.”

“This is not the kind of conversation we should be having on the phone. I am coming back to Nigeria for you and our future.”

“Look for another woman,” Lucky said in a cool tone. “I can never marry you.”

She could sense he smiled over the phone. “You will marry me.” He ended the call.

******

The employees at the TOK construction company really liked their boss daughter. They heard the rumor that she will become the owner soon. It was good news to most of them. Lucky was friendly and playful but whenever it was business time, they do not joke with her and her moments of bringing more clients, investors and money. 

Joseph could not stop thinking of Lucky in his office. He was all smiles and his coworker he shared an office with, wondered why the smile all through the day. The new lovers called each other and texted whenever they were occupied in their respective place of work. 

After two weeks of their relationship, they had a quiet dinner at a restaurant. Lucky appeared happy as usual and her smile made Joseph shinned his teeth. She was dressed in a pink and white gown, he wore a blue, and milk coloured stripe shirt and black pants. They ate salad and chicken, and they toasted with a non-alcoholic wine. 

Tom Okoye would ask his only daughter if her boyfriend was not yet back. She would give excuses that something important came up. Her father never argued with her. He was simply piling up the questions for the man she claimed she loved. 

******

One week later on a Friday late afternoon, the two of them were having lunch. They faced each other. When the waiter served them, Lucky picked out the onions from Joseph food. He ate fried rice and snail while she had boiled plantain and garden egg sauce with fried fish. He was also trying to persuade her and donate to the orphanage home.

“I think it is an excellent idea!” she said in a thrilled tone. “I have never thought about it before and I am happy you did. How long have you been donating to them?”

“Ten years.”

“Wow!!” she exclaimed. “The children must really love you. You were only twenty-one years old when you started donating. How did you get the money?”

He dropped his fork on his dish and wiped his chin with the clean napkin. “I use to save my pocket money then and no matter how little I had, I give them.”

“Some of the children must have grown now.”

“Yes. Some couples still expecting came and adopted most of them. If you know the number of children they bring to that orphanage home every week, you will be dumbfounded.” Joseph shook his head. “It is pathetic that some women, even men are cowards to abandon the children they are supposed to take care of.”

“The both of us will go to the bank at lunch hour on Wednesday before going there.”

“I don’t need to follow you to the bank,” he said. “You can donate any amount.”

Lucky ate from her fish and focused her stare on him. “We are partners and we should cooperate together.”

“You are the one donating and it should be your decision.” Joseph said.

“What other plans do you have for the children? You can organize a party for them.”

He smiled at her. He was very happy. “I have thought about that but I want to organize a very big one but that will be in the future. I have a plan to build one of the biggest orphanage homes in this country. It’s a dream and I will achieve it.”

“My father’s construction company can be helpful when you are ready to construct the building.”

“When that time come, I will know the process to take.”

“Have you thought of a name?” Lucky asked.

“I have not come to a conclusion but Saint Joe Home is the name on my mind for now.”

“It’s a lovely name!”

“Thanks love.” Joseph thanked her.

“You are an amazing man. God bless the day I met you. I also want to be a part of that dream too. I will help you achieve it.”

 

“I will like to do it alone.”

“No, I will not allow you do it alone.” Lucky said with a bright smile on her face. Joseph was about to say something to her when a neatly dressed young woman came from his behind and wrapped her arms around his neck. He was startled, turned and looked at her face.

“Oh!” the young woman exclaimed when they saw each other’s face. Joseph knew he had never seen her before. She quickly released her hands from him. “I am so sorry! I thought…I mean I saw you through the back and I thought you were my cousin. I mean you have his body physique, complexion. You don’t really look alike facially but, in fact I can’t explain it.”

Lucky and Joseph glanced at each other with a beam on their faces. They focused their gaze on her. He spoke. “You don t need to apologize, I understand.”

She gave him her right hand for a handshake. He shook her hand. “My name is Wunmi and I am a student of University of Lagos.”

He introduced himself as Joseph Dolapo and Lucky as his girlfriend. The ladies shook their hands.

Wunmi unzipped her Gucci purse and brought out her phone. She said to him. “I don’t know if you can give me your number, I really think you should meet my cousin. He believes he is the only one that has his body type because he does not work out. I think he is obsessed with his body physique.” The three of them laughed together. Lucky gave him a nod to give her. She called his number and he saved it on his phone. 

“Thank you very much.” Joseph said to her.

She shook his hand again. “You are welcome sir. I have to go now."

"You can join us."

"Maybe another time and I hope to see you again.”

"Me too."

Wunmi strode towards Lucky before leaving. ‘You have a beautiful smile and the two of you will make a perfect married couple.”

 “Thanks for the compliment.” she said to her.

******

Wunmi left the restaurant and called a taxi. She described the location of where she was heading to and he knew the place. It took them ten minutes to get there. She arrived at her destination, paid her fare and entered into AK Berger Construction Company Limited. A magnificent four-storey building with enigmatic design, it was the second biggest construction establishment, in Nigeria. It had many employees.

The well-suited female secretary with a loud makeup on her face gave Wunmi the order to go to her boss office. She knocked and a male voice ordered her to enter. She opened the door and hiked towards Sebastian Kehinde Akande, the handsome, well-built and sophisticated CEO of the company. He was clothed in an expensive black suit and a classic leather shoe. He wore two gold rings each on his fingers. A Jaeger-LeCoultre wristwatch decorated his left wrist. He used masterpiece paintings to decorate the walls. He adorned his fully air conditioned office with luxurious furniture. He had a big fridge, wide and big flat screen television. His table was made of glass. 

He was still on his chair when Wunmi hugged him. “Good afternoon bro.” She went to relax herself on one of the chairs opposite him.

“I have told you several times that I don’t like that word, bro. It’s not a polished word.” Sebastian stated.

“I have told you several times too that it’s a short word for brother.” she said.

“Are you going to lecture me about English? I just don’t like the word!”

“Yes sir but I am not happy with you.”

“Everybody I know should be happy with me,” he said confidently. “I give them whatever they want. What are you doing here? Is it to ask me to fund your trip to Dubai again?”

Wunmi looked at him with a disappointed expression on her face. She shook her head. “This is the problem I have with you. You think you know everything!”

“Shut up! I am seven years older than you. My mother is two years older than your father and he won’t dare talk to her like this. Do not disrespect me. I know everything Wunmi. What do you want?”

“Must I need something? Sometimes your attitude makes me ask for the things I do not need. I came here to visit you! I always call you to but you don’t!”

“I am a busy man and I have so many workloads on my neck! I have a huge contract on a project by the minster of housing. I have a deadline to finish it.”

“Is that why you don’t call?” she asked him.

“I thought I have given you an explanation. I am a busy man!”

Wunmi shook her head, “You never apologize. You always have an excuse.”

Sebastian stood on his feet and adjusted his jacket. “I have to be somewhere in thirty minutes. I will order my accountant to send you a check.”

“Are you going to see a woman?”

“Yes. I have to fill up my engine.”

She frowned at him. “These women are after your money and they flaunt around you because of your good look.”

“I am gorgeous.”

She hissed. “You have to be in a real relationship. I know Michelle broke your heart in the past but there are good women that will love you genuinely. She deceived you and ran away…”

“With my money and the 24 carat gold engagement ring I used to propose to her! Let us forget about Michelle, she is irrelevant.”

“I think you still love her.”

“Shut up!”

“I am simply telling you the truth. You became extremely rich at a young age and you still have a long way to go. Get married, have children to look after your establishment when you grow old. Don’t you think about that?”

“This wasn’t my establishment. This is my inheritance from my father.”

“But it was not the second largest construction company in Nigeria. You made it happen and it will forever be yours but there is no one to pass it to when your time is up. You are still in your early thirties; there is still time to amend your personal life. Stop chasing women.”

“They chase after me!” he yelled at her.

“I saw the look on your secretary. Are you still sleeping with her?”

“Yes and when I am tired, she will be dismissed! The only thing I hope she should be doing is saving but I do not think so. She spends money on makeup, Peruvian hair and costly bags. Anyways, that’s her business. I want to leave now.” Sebastian grabbed his two phones and the keys to his Cadillac from his desk and stepped away to leave. 

Wunmi quickly spoke. “I met someone today.” she said softly.

Sebastian halted and faced her way. “Met who?”

She narrated how she mistook someone for him. 

He laughed aloud. “But I am more handsome right?”

“You are so full of yourself. He’s name is Joseph Dolapo and I want the two of you to meet and become friends.”

“Is he the president of Egypt?”

“No.”

“Is he a governor?” he asked.

“No.” she replied.

“Is he the minister of education?”

She rolled her eyes. “No.”

“Is he Dbanj?”

No!”

“Are you sure he is not a serial killer?” Sebastian asked jokingly.

“I don’t really know anything about him but he seems like a nice guy. I just feel you should meet him. His girlfriend is very beautiful and she was friendly. I think she is very rich.”

“How did you know?”

“She was wearing an original silver Omega wrist watch. The both of them look so much in love. You do not have a close friend. You two can become close.”

“You, Joseph and the girlfriend can go to hell.”

“Please, meet him.”

“I know why you are doing this,” he said and removed his stare away from her. “I know you are doing this because of my late twin brother.”

She rose up and moved closer to him. “My father told me, the day your mother revealed you were a twin but he died after childbirth, you cried for three days. He said you blamed yourself, that you were not able to save him. How could you have saved him when you were still a newborn baby?”

“But we came into this world together. Why did he have to die and leave me? I feel lonely whenever I think about him.”

“Child bearing is not an easy task and it was not your fault he died. Maybe it is destiny that want you and Joseph to meet, that was why I mistook him for you.”

“He can never replace my twin brother, no one can!”

“I know. All I ask is for you to let someone in. You always complain that you are an only child, but there are so many people out there praying to be in your shoes. You have a lovely mother, an uncle and me. Some of the people out there in the society don’t even have a relation, no family. You should be happy.” 

“I wished he survived. The both of us would have been the owner of this company my father left for me before he gave up the ghost. I was still a kid when he died.”

Wunmi smiled at him. “I am sorry; I feel your pain bro…brother.”

Sebastian chuckled lightly and looked at her. “I will think about it and let you know my final answer. I can’t promise you anything yet.”

“Think about it thoroughly. I am sure you will like Joseph Dolapo.”

******

To be continued on Sunday evening.