Bad Market – Episode 10

From the moment Timi realized he had sent thugs to his father’s property it became a ding dong affair. We finally reached an agreement with Onyeka concerning her continued stay in the apartment to avoid any bloodshed that may arise since her boys out-numbered the boys Oga Cletus brought in to quell the disturbance and subsequently put the rude lady back to her rightful place on the streets.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Read the previous episodes here:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

She stayed back in the apartment for three days before vacating, and this was moments after my dad paid back the money her daughter owed her. As for Timi’s role in the drama that ensued, he denied having anything to do with the gang that came even when Onyeka had implied in the presence of Ebun, Oga Cletus and I that he had a hand in it.

The incident at our property in Onike, Yaba was all the assurance I needed that informing my dad of Timi’s atrocities on his property at Ojota was the best thing to do despite threats from Timi. Although I wasn’t sure how far he had gone with his new found sport, it was better late than never. In spite of Timi’s threats, I knew I won’t forgive myself if my Dad were to find out on his own.

It was a weekend, mum had asked me to go give dad breakfast at the hospital. Yeah, I forgot to say; dad had been hospitalized as a precautionary measure to stabilize his increasing blood pressure following the incident at the hostel in Onike, Yaba.

Although mum had prepared to leave for the hospital, a call she had received just as she was packaging dad’s breakfast had changed her plans. I wasn’t so sure what the call was about or who made the call but I suspected it had to do with one of dad’s property again. She had left in a hurry with one of the numerous keys dad kept in a safe in his room. The keys in that safe were the keys to his numerous properties which suggested that mum was on her way to one of dad’s rental properties but I wasn’t sure which it was.

I was preparing to leave the house when I heard a knock on the door. I hurried to open up and was surprised to find one of Mr. Lasetta’s pretty daughters at my doorstep. Actually it was the usual suspect, Sotonye my closest friend in the compound; like I even had a friend at all in the entire neighbourhood.

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Talking about Mr. Lasetta, I still did not understand what it really was about the man. I learnt his Haitian wife had abandoned him and their 3 pretty daughters a year before he moved into our compound because the man had been sleeping around. I only saw her once when she came visiting and the couple did not even act like they were separated. They were all lovey-dovey within and outside the house, and Veronica ended up spending a whole month with her family instead of the proposed 2 weeks.

Mr. Lasetta had daughters who you would mistake for goddesses, in fact I could swear the youngest almost had the appearance of Queen Daenerys Targaryen in game of thrones. Sontonye was the oldest of them- a 400 level medical student at the University of Lagos while Kimberly and Beatrice, the youngest were still in secondary school.

Mr. Lasetta himself was a very handsome man and I’m sure the sin of infidelity levied against him by his wife was not entirely his fault if those accusations were ever right. I’m not saying the single father was not capable of the crimes he was accused of, but the truth is that I never saw the tendencies since he moved into our compound. As a single father I should have at least seen him with a strange woman albeit the only lady I ever saw him with asides Veronica, his estranged wife was his 22 year old daughter, Sotonye.

Sotonye stood in front of me grinning from ear to ear like a PDP presidential aspirant that had just been told she won the election polls. A quick glance at her appearance left little to the imagination as I stood spellbound with jaws dropped! The dress she had on looked like a bandage mini skirt she converted to a tube dress to cover a bit of her breast region extending just below her waist.

“Won’t you invite me in or do you have a visitor?” Sotonye asked smiling sheepishly

“I—-am—alone,” I stuttered badly as Sotonye helped herself in

“I thought as much cause I saw your mum leaving the house moments ago and I understand Ebun is with your dad at the hospital”

“Hmm…I see you know so much about the whereabouts of my family members. But you haven’t told me where my elder brother Timi is”

“That one? Everyone knows he never stays at home. Speaking about Timi, do you know that brother of yours is a chronic womaniser.”

“Oh really? Have you come under his anointing too?”

“Well, he’s been stalking me for a while now. And he even almost assaulted me last night”

“You don’t say…”

“Yes, I had to give him a piece of my mind”

“How did he assault you?”

“He held me from behind and grabbed me towards him while I went out to run errands for my dad. It was around 9 pm, so he used the darkness to his advantage. He even had the effrontery to tell me that I am too sexy to ignore and getting me into bed with him as become his life’s quest.”

“Gosh! That dude is a bastard! I’m sure this was what you had on you when he assaulted you” I took another quick look at her half a yard dress she had stretched beyond the threads that held it bound to barely cover her bum.

“No, I was fully clothed”

“Oh, so you know you barely have clothes on right now

“

“What do you mean?” Sotonye viewed her appearance painstakingly.

“I’m a man Sotonye, a full blooded natural man”

“I’m aware.”

“Why would you come to me dressed like this on a Saturday morning, knowing fully well I’m the only person at home?”

“Well, maybe that’s because I know you can’t hurt a fly.”

“Wow!”

“Look dude, most times I’m comfortable dressing like this. In fact this is how I dress on a Saturday morning both at home and when I’m in school as long as I’m not leaving the house, moreover the weather is hot.”

“I see…”

“Dele, is there something wrong with me or what you see?” Sotonye stood just to ensure I beheld the amazing sight before me

“How do you mean?”

“I mean don’t you find me…” A loud deafening sound from outside left us all transfixed to our positions

“Was that a gun?” Sotonye managed to mutter.

“What else will sound like that?” I asked fearing the worse.

Then we heard the deafening sound again and again! Sotonye jumped from where she stood towards me, holding tightly on to me “Holy christ” she screamed.

 

Bad Market Continues Next Week…