Oga Martins & His Kettle of Fishes 4.0 – Episode 15

Martins had dismissed Thelma from his office without telling her what she wanted to hear. The only word of advice the high flying manager had for his young marketer was; “Follow your heart dear”. 

Martins left the office feeling lost after his encounter with Thelma. He wished he had the courage to tell Thelma all she wanted to know about Deji. He felt he owed her that, considering the fact that the pretty young lady was responsible for the recent successes he achieved for his company. If not for Thelma, Martins would have been relieved of his duty. Thelma had left his office feeling worse that she did before she came in and that didn’t go down well with Martins. The young lady was experiencing love for the first time, albeit from the wrong source, and there was nothing Martins could do about it since he had reached a pact with Deji. Going back on his word will mean putting his own life at risk. For the sake of his unborn child, he was not ready to ply that road.

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Suddenly Martins didn’t feel like going for the engagement he had that evening anymore. He was bound to disappoint Runo, but he wondered if heading home to his expectant wife was a much better option.

Would that make me feel less miserable?” Martins wondered. He was almost at the junction where turning right would lead him to Eko Convention Centre, venue of the Eko International Fashion Show, while turning left meant going home to relax and probably listen to his wife whine. Martins had nearly swerved his car towards the left end of the road when his phone rang out loudly. It was a call from Runo. Martins saw the call as an admonition not to miss the event under one guise or the other, owing to the timing of the call. After all he already informed Aisha he would be running late. He quickly answered the call via his hands free…

“Hey!”

“Hi Runo!”

“Where are you?”

“I’m on my way”

“Okay, about going on stage.”

“Oh really!”

“Was hoping you would be around for my first appearance on the runway, but it’s fine.”

“Don’t worry dear, will be there as soon as possible”

“Will appreciate. Alright talk to you later”

“Alright dear” The phone line went dead before Martins could sign out.

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Martins and Runo were getting too close for comfort. Runo now invited him for everything she found herself involved in, and it was becoming more difficult for Martins to decline her invitations. He knew deep down that Runo was smitten with him and he couldn’t deny he had started nurturing obscene feelings for her. At the rate they were going with their friendship, Martins feared it won’t be long before his wife’s accusations or suspicions would finally turn to feelings of guilt on his path. He wondered if he would ever have the decency to resist the pretty young model if she wanted more, when he had started to imagine himself in bed with her already. To think that he wasn’t even getting any sex at the moment due to his wife’s state compounded his woes.

“Who would even know if we do it just once” he said under his breath. Martins’ thought; a fatal mistake most men make. Ordinarily he had no business attending the event Runo invited him for at The Eko Convention Centre where she was going to be one of the topmost runway models at the Eko International Fashion Show. Fashion and entertainment had never been his thing, but here he was in the parking lot of The Eko Convention Centre on a night when he was meant to be home with his wife. Martins was craving to see Runo do her thing on stage. The young lady had given him a clue of what to expect earlier in the day, and Martins couldn’t wait to see Runo bare some flesh on the runway

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Martins swayed his head in different directions like a ram that was being led to the slaughter house as he walked into the reception. For the first time since the death of Olaoluwa, he was beginning to show tell-tale signs of irresponsibility.

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After seeing Runo’s second appearance on stage at the fashion show, Martins longed to see her sashay her sexy body in skimpy outfits along the runway, even if it was all the show there was to the event that night. He had never seen Runo in that manner before and it made him fantasize more about her. What he saw of Runo on stage that night had so much effect on him that he even waited till she was prepared to leave so he could drop her off which wasn’t initially part of the plan. Runo had cast a spell on him with her exaggerated movement and sex appeal.

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They had driven for more than 30 minutes without uttering a single word to each other asides the small talks they made after the show. Martins had been completely overwhelmed by Runo’s presence in his car. He still found it hard to believe it was the same lady that had held the audience at The Eko Convention Centre spellbound with her displays. Runo on the other hand was still trying to recover from the accolades and excessive attention that flooded her during and after the event.

Martins finally broke the silence, “you were really amazing tonight”

“Thanks Martins,” Runo responded with a wide grin.

“Gosh! For once you made me forget I am a married man”

“Really? So what was going through your mind while you watched me on stage.”

“A lot”

“Like?”

“I said to myself, if I wasn’t married I would have asked you out”

“Just that?”

“Uhmmm…you wouldn’t want to know the rest of what I thought of you”

“I don’t mind. I mean we both are adults, so stop acting like I am one teenager”

“Hell no! I can’t tell you my thoughts of you tonight. I will be more comfortable telling you on phone when I know what I say won’t lead to any unforeseen circumstance”

“Hmm…It’s just a thought Martins, you’ve not committed any crime even if you had obscene thoughts about me. At least not yet,” Runo’s statement left the duo reeling in laughter

“I see you have a clue already. Runo please let’s not talk about this tonight,” Martins pleaded

“But I want to know” At this point Martins had stopped his car just right in front of her compound

“Too bad, we’ve reached your final destination already”

“Alright then, good night” Runo spoke in a way that suggested that she was displeased with Martins.

Martins held her arm down before she could reach for the door. He drew her close to him and was going to bury his lips in hers when his phone rang.

“Shit!”he exclaimed disapprovingly at the rude distraction.

Runo looked down at the phone screen to view the identity of the caller

“Your wife”

“Yeah, just at the nick of time,” he smiled sheepishly at her as the phone continued ringing

“You are not going to pick her call?”

“And tell her what now?”

“You sure she’s not watching us from a spiritual TV in your room,” Runo concluded sarcastically.

“You are not serious,” Martins giggled at her remark.

Okay, I guess I got to go now. It’s really late.

Martins took a look at the dashboard. “Wow! it’s past midnight already. I didn’t realise I had spent so much time out.”

“Good night Martins and thanks for the ride.” They embraced each other

“Good night love. Talk to you tomorrow”

Runo alighted from the car and waved at Martins as he drove off.  Runo noticed a small group of guys in an uncompleted building opposite her compound. The guys were talking in low tones and smoking marijuana. She quickly turned her back towards them in an attempt to walk briskly into her compound but noticed the gate was locked. She dipped her hand into her handbag frantically in search of her keys but she was finding a hard time retrieving the key from her bag.

Before long she heard footsteps behind her as she tried to maintain focus on her immediate need. Then the footsteps got closer and louder. Runo lost her nerve, her heart sunk. She feared the worse. She turned to see who was coming at her in the dark but before she could even turn to face the intruder she had been lifted off the ground by two strong pairs of hands and scurried into an uncompleted building amid relentless struggles. At some point, the strange men had to cover her mouth to stop her from disturbing the peace of the night rather than to draw attention to them.

Runo was thrown hard on the messy floor of the uncompleted building in the dark and one look at her surrounding, it was clear what the assault was about. She shut her eyes hard for a moment because it dawned on her at that point that nothing else but divine intervention could stop the strange men from stealing the night or worse still, an entire lifetime and the pride of her womanhood from her.

Oga Martins & His Kettle of Fishes continues next week…