Chapter 9: the course

We stood in a circle, round the large gaping hole as they lowered his body 6 feet into the ground. I was standing with Crystal and Faith and I had to support her, so she wouldn't crumble.

His first cousin, Lee, was giving his own tribute and It was heartfelt and so sincere. Some families of the other victims were looking absolutely distraught while some managed to compose themselves but above all, funerals were the worst occasions to attend. I silently hoped I won't be visiting here anymore or worse end up as the one inside the box.

It was Crystal's time to speak and I watched her as she gracefully walked towards the podium. The once fearless girl I knew looked shrunken and frail and my heart broke a little more seeing her like that.

"Dad, my rock, I don't have the strength in me to ponder on why they had to take you away from me. If I did, it might break the remaining threads holding this shattered heart of mine together.

I would never find the answer, I know and as a wise person once told me; I should never submit to tears that they would end up breaking me more, I hope you are happier wherever you are."

When she said that I watched her eyes dart to mine and in instant conformity, I recalled a Summer some years ago when I had been comforting her on the day of her brother's memorial. I didn't expect her to remember the words I said that day, and I hadn't even known they stuck to her memory like paper to glue.

I knew the death of her brother really affected her and it had taken a long time to overcome the depression but now her father had died, I wasn't so sure I could save her from what was coming.

I offered her a faint smile and she nodded while returning her eyes back on the podium that held the leaflet to continue outpouring the effusion of the tributary words. She needed my assurance to go on as I had known she was on the verge of breaking down and I gave it to her. I rewarded her with the required strength that sat within the encouraging smile I had put on and now, she would know I was with her through this no matter the cost.

"Adieu my beloved father 

Adieu my first love."

Her last words held so much pain and sorrow and I felt the need to go up there and cradle her in my arms. She was tough though, finishing with only a single tear escaping as she left the centre walking back to where I stood with her mother.

I saw the look in her eyes as she passed and it almost made me stumble. I was staring at something similar, the beginning of my end. That anger that caused so much to happen, that anger that destroyed a lot of things for me, I was now seeing a copy of it in those brown eyes and I feared for her, starting out like me was the worst mistake anyone could make. I had a choice but would she?

It was now time for the organisation to give our final salutes to him and the rest of our colleagues that had lost their lives. We stood in a line now, our black coats being blown away and pulled up by the wind and at the command, the sound of our bullets were heard simultaneously, surging forth into the sky. Three shots! For his honour, for our sorrow and I liked to think the last for vengeance.

The period of interment was finally over, I had given my own tribute and surprisingly Emeka did too. So after I had said my last goodbyes to Faith and Crystal, we left Immediately to our other appointment.

Jeff had asked to meet us at Rhapsody, a five star restaurant in Ikeja. It was close by and so, it didn't take us much time to arrive at the location.

The night lights were on and it was giving the outside an extra shine. The parking lot was large, almost like a whole plot of land and at the centre there was a ferris wheel where I could see a couple of teenagers scrambling to get on. The view made me smile and also recall a time when I was like that, carefree with no problems.

It was almost nearing 19:00 on the clock and I was drained, emotionally and physically. I couldn't wait to see Jeff and hopefully his news would be something worth the wait.

"This place is really classy," Emeka noted as we picked a table behind a pillar further inside the down floor. The table was covered with dark mauve place mats and wine glasses as well as silver goblets looking more expensive than an average workers salary.

"Yeah I agree, it's certainly a nice sight compared to where we have been today."

The centre of the room had a chandelier dangling from its ceilings. The floor was tiled with rich marble and the colour texture of the walls were a dark shade of brown. Everything about the place spelt extravagant and I wondered why Jeff wanted to meet up here as this wasn't exactly the right place to be unnoticed.

I checked my watch again and 30 minutes had gone by but still no show from him. It was unusual and unlike Jeff to go back on his words but I could only hope he was just held up in Lagos Traffic.

"Do you remember the first time we met?" Emeka questioned taking another glass from the already half drunk bottle of wine in the middle of the table.

I dropped my own glass down while shifting my stare to him. Why did he want to remember so suddenly, a part of the past that wasn't so pretty? But I couldn't blame him though he wasn't aware at all.

"Yes! back at the promo set for Ayoba. It was held in Maitama, Abuja. 2004 was it?" I responded trying to remember the details of the day vividly.

"You know, if I knew we were going to be coworkers the next month, I would have beat your arse a little more harder," he said laughing, the memory of the competition that had us both as contestants, came to mind.

"And if I knew, I would have made it more easy for you," I countered, smiling leisurely and he laughed harder.

"You bet!" Emeka said still in a simmering fit of laughter and I knew then that it had actually been a while since I felt this calm, absolutely engulfed in a state of ataraxy.

"Crazy idea though, I still want a rematch."

"Why? You already beat me," I asked, narrowing my eyes seeking clarity.

"Yeah but it still seems like you win at everything," he replied and instantly I saw that same unreadable emotion flash through his eyes.

I didn't think we were still talking about the competition, it was something more than that. It had caught me off guard because I hadn't known he felt that way and in fact I didn't know what he felt at all.

He was still sipping from his glass, smiling curiously at me, expecting a reply but then I just turned to check the time. It was already 8PM and I decided then that Jeff wasn't coming and it was time to go.

"Emeka we should start going, you're already getting tipsy."

"I'm drunk Lade," he voiced correcting me while gulping down his last glass.

"Okay, let's leave then."

"Remind me how you met the Commander again," Emeka started out of the blue while brushing off my words. He was acting strange and I was sure it must have been the alcohol.

"It's really still a delicate topic that we shouldn't embark on right now," I replied while getting up from my seat.

"You never did tell anybody though but you were as close to him like a son to a father."

"Are you even listening to me?" I asked while settling back on the sit, my mood a bit restive as his actions had me apprehensive about what he had discovered that had been cascading towards the brink and now a truth on the verge of surfacing.

"I'm just curious, and a little birdie whispered something to me about HS," he said swaying as he dropped his hands forth on the table and I resembled a deer caught in headlights at that moment.

"Emeka! I have no idea what HS is and if you're hell bent on acting like an ass this night, I'm going home," I retaliated in defense with a stone-faced expression while hitting my hands on the table before leaving straight away.