FORCED PARTNERSHIP

Eric snatched the sheet out of Maria's hand.

'What are you doing?' he asked. 'Keep your claws away from my things if you want to sleep in this room.'

Maria stood up. 'Erico, who's the target? Who are you picking up tomorrow at the airport by four P.M? And where are you getting a hundred thousand pounds from?'

Cold shivers avalanched from my head and spread down to my toes. Eric had, in his excitement, written the figure of the ransom on the top of the sheet the previous day. He said it will keep us focus and enthusiastic, and it did. Just seeing the bold figures and calculating it in naira equivalent sent one's heart running. Not even a long-sighted person could have missed it and it was clear Maria wasn't long sighted.

'It's none of your business,' Eric retorted, glaring down at her. 'And shut your trap before I shut it up for you. Keep your hand from my things.'

He stood over her like Goliath over David, but she faced him equally, unafraid.

'Erico,' she said, her voice low but fierce. 'Count me into this deal or I will inform the police first thing tomorrow morning. You are planning a kidnapping and I want in or I'll go to the police as soon as the sun stops sleeping. Count me in or I talk to the police.'

'Keep your mouth shut,' Eric retorted, raising his hand to slap her. 'I will kill you if you mention this to anyone. Did you hear me? I will strangle you until your black face turns purple.' 

Maria smiled again. She looked as if the threats issued were meant for the stale air in the room. 'Take me in or I will talk to the police. I must share in the one hundred thousand Pound Sterling. Your threats mean nothing to me; you have done terrible things to me and I am still alive.'

They glared at each other like two bulldogs facing each other across a fence. Eric's right fist squeezed the sheet in his hand, crumbling it. I held Eric's arm and pulled him away from her. 

'It's alright guys,' I said. 'You've had enough for one day. Rest tonight and continue tomorrow.'

Eric kept his eyes on Maria but allowed me to pull him away and to draw the sheet out of his fist. I let go of his arm when the distance between them was safe enough and I straightened the sheet. 

'If you want this to succeed,' I whispered to Eric. 'You have to let her in. A report to the police will take us to jail even. Besides, she can take Tolu's place to complete the number for the operation.'

'Yeah, I can take Tolu's place,' Maria said. 'I will take his place.'

'You are not taking anybody's place,' Eric said, his voice thundering in the room. 'You are not part of our plan and you will never be.'

Maria lay on the mattress. She pulled the blanket on the bed over her legs until it got to her neck. She did it with remarkable slowness, and an annoying smile covered her lips.

Eric turned to me. 'Why did you have to talk about Tolu? Don't you know she has the ears of a moth?' 

I shrugged. 'Seems like she has got us whichever way we turn. It's better to let her in. She could be useful.' 

Maria chuckled, turned her face to the wall and pulled the blanket over her head. The room wasn't that cold to warrant the use of a blanket, but she covered her head anyway, and I had a feeling she was laughing underneath the blanket. 

She had won.

Eric and I stared at her for a long while and then I moved to the table and placed the sheet on it, suddenly feeling exhausted. I turned toward to the settee, wondering where I would lay before the morning comes knocking. 

Eric unlocked the door and went out; he slammed the door closed. I heard the sound of his pee hitting the content of the toilet bowl and I laughed quietly. Maria had put such a pressure on him that his bladder had to take a leak. 

I looked over at Maria lying quietly like a bag of corn. Eric entered the room and bolted the door; he turned and walked to the middle of the room and lay on the carpet. He used the edge of the mattress for a pillow. The remaining part of his body stretched out on the carpet.

I looked between him and Maria for a moment and then joined him on the carpet, taking the edge of the mattress for a pillow too. I got up and switched off the light and groped back to the carpet. 

We lay in the dark, not speaking, hearing each other's breaths. I guessed Eric didn't want to take any more chances with Maria hearing what we say. I let him be and allowed my mind to move between Talatu and my mum. I must have drifted off to sleep when the sound tugged me wide awake. 

'Garrrrhhh. Phewww. Garrrhhhh. Phewww. Garrrhhh...'

I lay still in the dark, wondering where the sound was coming from. It was low at first, but it grew in intensity, getting louder and louder, like the sound of ten trucks pouring away sand one after the other. 

'Garrrhhhh. Phewww. Garrrhhh. Phewww...

'My God!' Eric cried. 'How can one sleep in this storm?' 

I heard him turn and climbed the mattress. Then the mattress swayed forward and backward. 

'What?' Maria cried in a sleepy voice.

'Stop snoring or I will throw you out,' Eric said. 

Maria groaned and grunted in protest. 'Who is snoring?'

'You are a nuisance even in your sleep,' Eric said.

There was a momentary silence and Eric retraced his steps back to his position on the carpet.

I smiled in the dark, enjoying the fact that Eric has met his match. Another minute of silence followed and then...

Garrhhhhhzzzzz. Phewww. Garrhhhhhzzzzz. Phewww. Garrrrhhhhhzzzzzz...

'God,' Eric cried, but didn't get up to shove her back and forth again.

I listened to the grating, endless sound and then my senses got used to it and I fell asleep.