Finding Happiness 7

“ Now that was a movie, Tee!” Angela exclaimed as they filed out of the hall. The movie they’d come to watch had just ended. “ I almost peed my pants from laughter, that Ted guy- I mean the teddy bear was hilarious! Don’t you think? The way he talks, Oh my goodness such a raunchy tactless thing. They should have sewn its mouth closed. Right Tee?”

“errrr …yeah!” Tekena replied shining his teeth at her in a fake smile, his mind a million light years away “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

She frowned sensing his distraction“ You didn’t like it, did you? … oh my, maybe I should have let you watch Sky fall, it’s just that I’d heard it was the worse James Bond movie yet and I thought you were okay with the Ted movie I picked and….”

“ What? No, it’s not that. It’s okay, GG, the movie was fine, I just have some stuff on my mind, that’s all.”

“What stuff?” She wanted to know.

‘Deifa stuff’ he wanted to say but didn’t, not exactly sure what the problem was. When Lisa had called him that afternoon saying she had to speak to him concerning his step sis, he’d asked her if it could wait till the evening because he had some business to attend to, she’d said no problem. So he guessed it would be something not too serious, he hoped that at least. Now, he had to meet her after dropping Angie off.

“ Work stuff but nothing I can’t handle.”

“Okay, but we could have cancelled the movie, you know. You seem so pre occupied and off this evening. I don’t like when you are this way.”

“It’s okay really! I had a date with you and I couldn’t cancel it for anything. Not anything!”

She smiled and linked her arm through his.

“ I thought it was a stupid movie though.”

Angie laughed “How come?”

He struggled to piece together parts of what he’d managed to understand. “First of all, a talking teddy bear that came to life because a young boy had wished for it. Really? A trash talking randy as hell teddy bear? It was funny though, a movie just for laughs.”

“Yeah, even though you weren’t laughing.” She told him.

“I was laughing in my mind!” he said drily.

Angie rolled her eyes “ yeah right! Mind laughter, abi?”

“ You won’t understand. Come, let’s get ice-cream.” He said dragging her over to the confectionary area. “Make your order, I need to make a call.”

Leaving her there, he gave them some distance dialling Alissa’s number as he did. She picked on the first ring.

“Tekena?”

“Yeah.” He replied “ I’m done, leaving Ceddi now, heading towards Wuse 2 before Asokoro. Where will be best to meet with you?”

“Wuse 2 is fine, I’m at Exclusive stores. When you get here, call me. I’ll be waiting at the eat out area outside.”

“That’s fine.” He hung up making His way back to Angie who was still having trouble deciding what flavour she wanted.

She turned to him “ Which will you be having? I think I’ve finally decided on chocolate and coffee.” She said turning back to the attendant.

“Coffee? Don’t you plan on sleeping tonight?” He asked mischievously before turning to the attendant “ Just a Fayrouz would be fine for me.”

“It’s just a flavour, I don’t think it will keep you from sleeping just because it’s coffee…or wait-“, She paused and looked at him and smiled, “ or is that your way of hinting at me to spend the night at your place?”

He couldn’t help his burst of laughter “Gigi, if I wanted you over for the night, I would ask in plain English.”

She shrugged, “it did sound like something a guy would say.”

“I’m not just a guy GG!” He told her snaking his hand around her waist and pulling her to his side. “ When I want something, I wouldn’t mince words.”

“I’m sure you won’t”. She leaned into him briefly before turning as the attendant placed their orders on the counter.

She picked her cup of ice cream, helping herself to a taste as he picked his drink and dropped the bills not bothering with the change.

“ Shall we?” He asked.

“Yes, please!” She said following.

 

**********

Tekena felt like he needed to punch someone’s face, that someone being Osaze! The fool had even more gall than he’d given him credit for. He was seated at the lounge at Exclusive Stores with Alissa, Deifa’s friend who was telling him what had gone down that afternoon. He probably should have beaten the guy a lot more before throwing him out that other night, might have put some sense into him.

“ You mean he actually got her car vandalised?” He asked again just to be sure he was hearing correctly.

“ Yes he did and then called her to make lewd threats, that she should come over to his apartment tomorrow evening if she didn’t want more trouble.” Alissa added.

Tekena frowned, he was tempted to go to the apartment right then and beat the hell out of him but had to rein himself in check. He needed to plan this carefully and thoroughly, go through the right channels so that it didn’t escalate into something else as the fool was a frat guy.

“And Deifa? How did she take everything?” He had to ask. “Is she okay?”

“ At first she was shaken but then I reassured her that I would take care of everything and she felt a little better.”

“Okay, good. I want you to call her tonight or in the morning and tell her it’s all been taken care of. That she needs not worry or be at his place tomorrow.”

“Okay….” She said “Can I ask what you plan on doing?”

“I have my ways, don’t worry about it.”

“You’ll be careful, wouldn’t you? You know he’s a …..”

“I know, I know. I’ve got it all covered. He won’t be a problem anymore but please advice your friend to mind who she dates.”

Alissa smiled, “We can’t understand the heart sometimes.”

‘Tell me about it’ He thought to himself, loving a girl who’d never given him the time of day.

“Besides you know how stubborn she can be.” Alissa added.

“That, I do know.” He said glancing at his wristwatch and seeing it was ten fifteen.

“ And on that note Tekena, I’m going to have to leave you. I’ve got an early day tomorrow and I’m sure you would want to begin your putting your plans together. Thanks for this really, I knew you cared deeply about her.” She got up and Tekena got up too. “She’s a really good person just quite stubborn.”

Tekena managed to come up with a smile “I know and you’re a very good friend.”

She left and he sat down. Now where would he start from? He didn’t want to personally go and bash the psycho’s brain in, if he had one anyway. That might cause more problems. He’d have to go over the guys head.

Getting out his phone, he dialled the one person he was sure could make everything go away. He picked on the third ring.

“ Bros Tikky, how far?”

“ Larry, I dey, I have a little issue that I need taken care of” Tekena said going into it immediately. “Okay, anything for you, boss.” Larry said very eager.

He had such high regards for Tekena that it was baffling. Tekena wasn’t sure what he’d done to deserve it, he was sure if he asked Larry to get to the moon to collect some sand, he’d do it without blinking. Tekena suspected he was the current leader of the frat group Osaze belonged to in school. He’d never had confirmation but he’d heard guys talk about it. ‘Little Larry’ as he was fondly called wasn’t little at all, his looks were misleading. He maintained a low profile and managed to do quite well in his class, the way he operated, he was as deadly as a snake – The king cobra. That was the name they’d given him.

The King was largely unknown but the mere mention of his name put fear in guys on campus, you never wanted to be on the king’s wrong side. Only a few people knew his true identity.

Now, Tikki was unsure if Larry was indeed the king cobra but if you analysed him, he could be. He hardly ever spoke, was hardly ever noticed, always walked with two other guys, usually Segun and Michael. Who were much larger in size and formidable, obviously his security although they acted like his elder brothers. He was the youngest of the trio and acted like that but Tikki could tell the guys gave him his respect.

“ It’s my step sis, you know her?” he asked. “Ofcourse I do! She stands out.”

“ Yeah, she does, doesn’t she? she and her boyfriend have broken up but the a-ss wipe has been harassing her. You know the fool nao.”

“ Osaze, he’s quite popular himself.” Larry said it like the guy had been giving him other issues before now . “What is he up to now?”

“He’s barking up the wrong tree this time, Larry. Last week I caught him slapping her around in my own compound, I threw him out myself. Now I got information that he vandalised her car today and now demanded that she show up at his place tomorrow evening. I know I’ve seen you two together once in a while in school,” He lied knowing Larry could never be seen around someone as volatile as Osaze. “ I guess you two talk. I want you to please talk some sense into him or else I will take matters into my own hands.”

Larry listened carefully.” Bros Tikky, you know I have a lot of respect for you. I deeply apologise on his behalf, I’m not a close friend of his but I do know someone who can make him see reason. He won’t be bothering your sis again, that is a promise!”

That was reassuring enough for him “ Thank you Larry, I knew I could count on you.”

“Not a problem at all, bros but your sis should mind who she dates, she’s too fine to be dating some sort of people.”

“You know girls and their things nao, you can’t understand them most of the time. Thanks a lot for the help.”

“Not a problem, I’ve got your back any day any time.” Larry replied.

Tekena smiled, that was really reassuring but he wasn’t fooled by Larry’s act. He wouldn’t like to be on this guys wrong side. He hung up, feeling good with himself and calmed a bit knowing everything was going to work out fine. He really didn’t care if Larry was the King Cobra, he just wanted that creep off Deifa for good.

***