CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT

Ikem collected everything that belonged to his late brother, including his new baby. He relocated to Lagos with his family. He assumed control of all the factories but could not access the money in the banks. He was surprised to find that he was not Amadi’s next of kin.

One day, Ikem was in his late brother’s office when a young man, dressed in black suit, entered.

“Good day, sir,” the young man greeted.

Ikem looked at him, believing he might be one of those job seekers. “Yes, how may I help you?” he asked aloofly.

The young man, still standing, said, “My name is Barrister Ken Madu. I am the personal lawyer of Late Mr Amadi Ibeabuchi, the owner of this factory. I believe you are his brother?”

“Yes, I am his only brother. Is there any problem?” Ikem asked, sitting up.

“May I sit down, please?” Barr. Ken asked politely.

“Yes, yes, sit down, please,” Ikem said, gesturing to one of the seats there.

Barr. Ken sat down and brought out a guardian undertaking form and handed it over to Ikem.

“What is this?” Ikem asked, feeling uncomfortable.

“It’s a form to indicate that you are the one looking after late Amadi’s assets before the reading of his Will. And since his only child is still tender, the Will reading will have to be delayed until the child has come of age,” Barr. Ken explained.

Ikem could not believe his ears. He sensed that his plan of taking everything that belonged to his late brother is under threat.

“Do you mind if I take the form home to study?” Ikem asked.

“No, not at all. If that’s the case, I will be back in two days’ time,” Barr. Ken said and stood up to leave.

“But how am I sure you are whom you said you are?” Ikem asked.

Barr. Ken looked at Ikem for some seconds, took back his seat and opened his briefcase. He brought out a folder and took a paper out of it.

“I believe this is enough proof,” he said as passed the paper across to Ikem. “It’s a copy of the binding agreement our firm had with Mr. Amadi before his demise. You can see his signature there,” he said as he studied Ikem with his sharp eyes.

Ikem quickly scanned through the agreement and saw that it was authentic. His brother’s signature can never be forged by anyone.

“It’s ok, I will see you in two days time,” Ikem said and handed back the paper to Barr. Ken.

Ikem became worried immediately the lawyer left. He paced up and down the office, speaking to himself.

“Who did he will all his belongings to? But wait o, it could be me. Who else will it be if not me? Or could it be his wife? But she is dead. It has to be me. Who else could he will everything to if not his only brother? But wait o! The bank said his next of kin is his wife. Could it be that he willed everything to her? But she is dead, which leaves me as the next in line. I must fight for what is mine. If the matter proves difficult to handle then I will do what I know how to do best.”

_____———Ω——————

After he spoke with Amadi’s lawyer, Ikem decided to hasten his plans of taking hold of the money Amadi left in the bank. To him, if that was all he got he would be satisfied. The amount in the bank alone should be enough for him and his great-grandchildren, up to the fourth generations, to live well. He presented Amadi and Olaedo’s death certificates to the bank and explained that he should be the next of kin. The bank requested for more documents, which included a letter of identifications from a magistrate court, to enable them to transfer the money to his account.

Ikem started going about gathering these documents with frenzy. He wanted to sort out the issues with the bank before Barr. Ken surfaces again. Feeling threatened, Ikem started bribing all the officials that might delay those documents just to make sure they hastened up. He was, however, promised that the documents will be ready in a week time, which was the fastest they could go.

Barr. Ken returned to the office on the given day to pick up the form. Before handing over the filled form to him, Ikem presented him with a glass of wine.

“Thanks for the drink,” Barr. Ken said absentmindedly.

“So how is your family?” Ikem asked.

“We are good, thank you. And yours?” Barr. Ken asked.

“Everyone is good, though it hasn’t been easy. Losing a brother and his wife the same day is not something one can easily get over with,” Ikem answered, sounding gloomy.

“I know. And how is the little girl?”

“She is fine,” Ikem said.

Barr. Ken dropped the glass of wine at the desk without taking a sip and sat up. “Is the undertaking form ready?” Ken asked.

“Yes,” Ikem said and pulled out the desk drawer. He brought out the form and handed it to Barr. Ken.

Barr. Ken went through the form and was satisfied. “The hearing of your late brother’s Will is going to take place at the eighteenth birthday of his surviving daughter. Is that ok with you?” he asked, studying Ikem’s reaction.

“Yes, yes, It’s ok with me,” Ikem said.

Before he left the office, Barr. Ken exchanged contacts with Ikem and promised to keep checking on him and the family. When he closed the door behind him, Ikem fixed his gaze at the untouched glass of wine he served Barr. Ken and wondered why things seemed to be going against him.

That evening, Ikem returned from work and was surprised when Nkechi, his daughter, opened the gate. He drove into the compound and was about to ask where Akpan was when he saw him kneeling down with his two hands stretched towards to the sky.

“Daddy, you are welcome,” Nkechi greeted.

“Ehee. Why is Akpan kneeling down?” he quizzed.

“Mummy sent him to the market to buy foodstuffs and bring back change. But he spent all the money. So mummy asked him to kneel down as punishment,” Nkechi explained.

Ikem walked closer to Akpan to hear his own side of the story.

“Oga, you are welcome,” Akpan greeted.

“What happened to the money given to you? Why didn’t you bring back change?” Ikem asked him in return to his greeting.

“Oga, I’m sorry. I use the change enter a taxi. The things I bought dey heavy, I no fit carry them for head and walk home,” Akpan answered.

“You entered a taxi,” Ikem said. “I don’t blame you. If there was no change left would you have entered a taxi? You think money is easy to get,” Ikem said and turned away. He left Akpan there and walked into the house with his daughter.

Inside the house, Ebuka, his eight years old son, was busy jumping from one seat to another. The house looked untidy and has lost the luster it had when Amadi was still alive.

“Daddy! Daddy!” Ebuka yelled when he saw his father. Ebuka was the last child and only son of Ikem and Uruma. He was a year and six months younger than Ujunwa, while Ujunwa was a two years younger than Nkechi. Ebuka ran to his father and hugged him.

“Daddy, did you buy me the toy gun?” Ebuka asked. Ikem was about to answer him when Urunma walked in from the kitchen.

“You are welcome,” Urunma greeted.

“Thank you. Where is Ujunwa?”

“She is sleeping in her room,” Urunma answered. She was still standing in the sitting room when they heard a piercing cry of the little Adaku coming from one of the rooms downstairs.

“What kind of a troublesome baby is this?” Urunma sighed, “Nkechi please go and find out why she is crying.” Nkechi frowned and hesitated. “Nkechi?” Urunma called, giving her a stern look.

“Mtcheew,” Nkechi hissed, “Every time I will be making her to stop crying. Did I beat her?” Nkechi grumbled as she headed to Adaku’s room.

Akpan was left in his kneeling position till morning. Shortly before dawn, Akpan felt tired and sleepy. He brought down his hand, put his head on the floor to form a knee-chest position, and then dosed off. He was in this position till sunrise.

Around eight in the morning, Ikem came out of the house and saw that none of the cars were washed.

“Akpan!” Ikem yelled.

“Oga, I dey here!” Akpan answered from where he was kneeling.

“Will you get your useless self here!”

Akpan stood up but his legs were stiff and numb. He limped until he got to where Ikem was.

“Why have you not washed any of these cars?”

“Oga, madam say make I no stand up from…” Ikem interrupted the explanation with a hot slap. Akpan held his cheek, looking at Ikem, his eyes watered.

“You have less than twenty minutes to finish washing all these cars or you will see the worst side of me,” Ikem said and stormed back into the house.

Akpan stood at the spot Ikem left him, thinking about his life. He obeyed and began to wash the cars.

Ikem soon came out with his three children, all dressed for school. They were registered in one of the best schools in their area. He noticed that Akpan has not washed all the cars but he has washed the one he wanted to use that morning. He did not utter a word to Akpan as he and his children entered a car and drove off.

Urunma was not doing anything; she stayed at home all day. She could spend hours daily in front of the mirror, painting herself.

_____———Ω——————

One week later, Ikem collected the documents the bank requested for and submitted them. After passing through all the processes involved, the bank told him that all the needed documents have been submitted and that the money will be transferred to his account within the next three days. He went back to the factory happy and fulfilled. To celebrate his victory, he left office early that day and went to a shopping mall to shop for his wife and three children.

Ikem waited impatiently for the three days to relapse and could barely sleep at night because he was too excited. Urunma also knew about his plan and so, her own expectations grew.

On the third day, Ikem became visibly agitated and could not do any work. He felt every second ticking by as he waited impatiently for the bank’s credit alert to appear on his phone. Every text message that entered his phone that day attracted a special attention. But to his dismay, the day came to a close without the credit alert. He was furious and could not eat at night.

“Could it be they forgot?” he asked himself, moving up and down his room. Early the next day, he went to the bank to find out why they failed to transfer the money.

“I’m sorry, sir, we could not transfer the money. The reason is that there is a legal will covering the account. You have to get the legal counsel that is in charge of it to read the will and sign a release form. This form must be signed by a minimum of three signatories. Only then can we release the money to whoever the will indicated,” the bank manager explained to him.

Ikem’s heart sank to the bottom of his guts. His mouth was open all the time the manager was talking. When the manager finished, Ikem sat in quietude, staring at the man, but he was actually not seeing him. He was reflecting over everything the bank manager said. He went home that day brooding over his failure.

Urunma walked into his room and met him looking dejected. “Obim, what is troubling you?” she asked.

Ikem stood up from the bed and walked to the window. He looked into the compound and saw Akpan playing with the little Adaku.

Urunma followed him, feeling concerned. “Obim, please talk to me. What is it?” she asked.

“The bank refused to release the money to me,” he whispered.

“Why?” she asked, surprised.

“Because of Amadi’s Will,” he said and kept quiet, still staring at the two people playing in the compound.

“What about his will?” Urunma asked, baffled.

“It will determine who will have the money. I am having a bad feeling about this will of a thing. What if my brother willed nothing to me?” Ikem was truly afraid.

“Who else would he will all his wealth to if not his only brother? That should not bother you,” Urunma said, trying to sound encouraging.

Ikem looked at her and then turned back to the object of his interest playing downstairs. He observed them for some minutes and said. “My only problem is this Adaku. She will spoil everything if care is not taken.”

Urunma looked through the window and observed how Akpan was attached to the baby. “Then do something about it,” she advised.

Ikem returned his gaze to Urunma, his eyes deep with unreadable meaning.

Reading the message written all over his face, Urunma nodded.

“She must not know that this house or the factories belonged to her late parents. We will hide the truth from her. Since the reading of the will is going to take place at her eighteenth birthday, we will make sure it never happened. And then, everything will automatically be ours,” Ikem said slowly and frighteningly. “That is a good idea,” Urunma agreed as shiver ran through her. “I will inform our children not to reveal the truth to her. But, what about that stupid Akpan? When the child grows up, he will certainly tell her everything.”

“Leave Akpan to me, his days are numbered in this house,” Ikem said.

“Come, I prepared your favourite dish today,” she said and led him out of the window.

_____———Ω——————

One week later, Ikem decided to execute his plan of sending Akpan away. On that fateful day, Ikem came back from work late in the evening. Akpan ran and opened the gate immediately Ikem honked. He greeted Ikem as he was driving past him but he got no response. He didn’t suspect a thing because it was Ikem’s usual practice to ignore him.

“Akpan!” Ikem called as he was alighting from the car.

“Yes, Oga,” Akpan answered and ran to him.

“How are you?” Ikem asked.

“I am fine Oga,” Akpan answered, surprised.

“The whole family will be relocating to the United States of America in five days’ time. You have to calculate how much you are being owed and get your things ready. You will be leaving this job permanently tomorrow.” Ikem said and, without waiting for Akpan’s response, headed for the entrance door.

Akpan stood there, speechless.

The following morning, Ikem came out of the house and met Akpan washing cars. “Didn’t I tell you to get your things ready?” Ikem asked.

“Oga, good morning,” Akpan greeted.

“My friend, don’t play dumb with me. I told you that you will be leaving this morning, didn’t I?”

“Oga, I don pack finish,” Akpan said.

“Go in and bring out your things. I will drop you at the park,” Ikem said.

On their way to the motor park, Ikem paid him all the salary for the month. When he dropped him at the motor park, he waited to make sure that he boarded the bus going to his village.

After Akpan left, Ikem decided not to hire another gateman because he feared an outsider could jeopardize his plans.