"For the last time Sochi, No. I am busy, I can't go with you," Michael said as he threw punches at the bag in front of him. Grunts escaping his lips after each one. He was shirltess as he didn't like to wear shirts when boxing, so the sweats won't stick to his clothes.

"Please Michael, I am begging you. My friends are going to be there with their boyfriends, I don't want to be left alone."

"What don't you understand by, 'I don't want to date you anymore' Date? Or anymore? We aren't together again, I broke up with you, that's it." He gave a heavy sigh and reached out for the stool beside him where a bottled water stood. He took it, uncapped and took large gulps of water, sending it down his throat.

"Please Michael, do this one thing for me and I will never disturb you, ever again."

"That's what you said the last time, and the other time before that, and oh! Shockingly, I do believe this is your voice asking for my help again." He walked towards his towel which hung from a hanger, putting it around his neck.

His ex girlfriend, Sochima, has been disturbing him since morning to be her date to a dinner party. She said she just wanted his company and nothing more, but Michael knew more than that, she uses stuff like this to try to get them back together.

"This is the last time Michael, please." Her voice said again through the Bluetooth piece on Michael's ear.

"Fine, I will think about it-"

"It's today Michael, you can't think about it, thanks so much, come pick me by seven." Without giving Michael time to reply, she cut the call.

Michael pulled the earpiece of his ear and threw it to a corner at the room. He walked out of his gym room and headed to his bathroom, he needed a bath.

Michael lay down in his bathtub, the foam caused by the soap in the water covered his naked body. His arms were resting by the side of the bathtub and his head was laid back, eyes closed. Only one question ran through his mind.

Why did I kiss her?

"This is stupid," He said out loud suddenly. "This is Chioma I am talking about, I mean, she is very beautiful, with her long hair, sexy brown eyes, those full lips and the way she scrunched her nose whenever she is annoyed with me is just so cute and also... I am naked, talking to myself like a mad man."

He ran his hand over his short hair, giving a loud sigh as he went lower, allowing the water to swallow him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later Michael found himself driving to the Edward's house, he needed to check what Chioma had pointed out yesterday.

When he arrived, he parked his car, turning off the ignition and stepping out, he walked towards the grand entrance door of the Edward's house. He pushed his index finger into the button, which had the image of a bell drawn on it.

Minutes later a maid opened the door, it was the same maid who had led them to Evelyn's room the other day.

"How can I help you?" She asked quietly.

"Hi, I am Michael, with the homicide department. Would you mind if I come in, I need to look round Evelyn's room again," He said while showing her his badge.

"O-ok, come in." She stepped to the side and Michael walked into the mansion.

"Only the helps are around, the Edwards went out " She told him as she led him upstairs, Michael looked around the house, it was eerily quiet.

"I'll leave you to do your thing," She said when they reached Evelyn's door and walked away.

Michael opened the door slowly, staring at same room he had walked into Christmas day. Nothing had changed really, except the blood stains were gone. He walked into the room and looked around, inspecting every corner.

He walked towards the bed, and stayed in the position he suspected the murderer would have stood, after killing Evelyn.

"Her death was a fast one," he murmured to himself. "With Evelyn dead and Fummi climbing up the stairs to call her. The murderer...needed to escape fast, but the only way she could have escaped was through the window..." Michael walked towards the window and looked out, "and that is suicide." He walked back into the room, looking around.

He stood quietly, just looking around, it was then he saw a small corner beside the door, it went into the wall and was just narrow enough to contain a young lady. "The murderer must have somehow, fit her body in here and while Funmi entered, she ran out almost immediately. Funmi might have been in shock for awhile seeing Evelyn dead, that her senses didn't respond to hear the footsteps and the murderer must have gotten down and mixed in with the crowd before Funmi had gotten ahold of herself and raised an alarm— that's one theory."

He walked towards the corner to get a better look when he heard a creep sound coming from below. Looking down, he stepped hard on the same pavement, and the noise arose again.

Getting down on his feet, he moved the rug that was covering that particular area. With the rug away, he felt for the place again.

"This is a secret safe," He said quietly to himself. Scrabbling his hand around he removed the fake cement which then revealed a box underneath it. It was an iron box and it was locked tight. The only way it could be open was with a key and Michael didn't have one.

"Uhmm...Miss! Lady!" He called out to the maid, who came running in when she heard the call.

"Yes, you called for me."

"Do you have a key to this?" He asked pointing at the box.

"No sir, I don't even know what that is," She answered staring at the box.

"Ok then, I will have to take this with me to the office."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chioma ran away from the Kitchen before her mother will catch her there for the third time. She had tried to take pieces of the fried turkey that the cooks were preparing for the party that will soon commence. But her mother had caught her each time and had pursued her away from the kitchen.

But this time, she had successfully stolen three fried turkey and wrapped it in an old newspaper. Walking tiptoes and looking around her like she was a runaway and had bounty hunters after her, she rushed upstairs to her old room where Kachi was waiting for her.

"Did you get it?" Kachi asked hopefully, she was seated on Chioma's bed with her phone in her hand.

"Trust me na, I can't fail the third time oo, like the saying goes, two times for the chef, one time for Chioma." She walked towards Kachi and sat down opposite her, so they were facing each other.

"Uhmm...that isn't a saying."

"Yes, yes it is."

"Who says that?" Kachi asked laughing, while moving closer to Chioma to get a better look at the turkey.

"I 'say' that." Chioma said as she unwrapped the newspaper she had put the fried turkey in. The scent of the turkey filled the room, entering the two young ladies noses and causing an extra amount of saliva to fill their mouth as they stared mesmerized. The turkey had been dipped in a pepper and potato sauce, and it was just calling on their tongue and teeth to taste and chew.

"This is beautiful," Kachi said, wiping away imaginary tears.

"I know right, let us chow." Immediately, they both took a piece, ignoring how hot it was and taking a huge bite. "Oh! Sweet Lord, I thank you for blessing us with creatures like this."

"Yes oo, I thank you." Kachi joined Chioma in praising and they ate the turkey.

Meanwhile, Chioma's mother, Chika was busy welcoming guest downstairs, her best and oldest friend stood beside her.

"Ah! Mama Nkechi, welcome oo!" She greeted the woman who had just stepped out of her car, with her son beside her. "How is the family?"

"Chikason the Chikason, we are fine oo, we were going to travel to Spain today, but we postponed our journey because of you, you know I will not miss your party na!"

Chika laughed, "I know you." she looked at the young man standing beside Nkechi. "So, who is this handsome young man? Ebuka? Na you be dis?"

"Yes ma, Good afternoon ma," He greeted politely.

"You are welcome my son."

Soon, after they had greeted each other finish and the guest had walked into the already decorated mansion, Chika turned to her friend.
"So, what do you think of that one?" She asked.

"Mba*, did you see his eyes? They reminded me of that bird own, owl. If that one marries Chioma now, their children will have big eyes." She looked around her before she said quietly. "Do you want big eyed grandkids?"

To which Chika shook her head furiously. "Me? Ahh! No oo, Achorom*"

"Then let's wait for more to come, when we find the perfect one, that will be the one we will push to Chioma direction."

Chika nodded her head, and they sat, observing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Half an hour later, the party was at its Climax. The older men were gathered at one side boasting about their sons achievement and talking business. The young men and women were in groups and they discussed and got to know each other more.

"Eh! Njideka!" Chika called to one of the helps, who was holding a tray with plates of fried meat and puff puff. "Have you seen Chioma?"

"No ma, I never see am." She went away, towards the place that the elders were sitted.

Suddenly Chika sighted her daughter coming out from the direction of the Kitchen, wiping her mouth clean.

"Chioma!" She called out loud for her voice to be held over the music. Chioma heard her name and turned around to see a mum walking over to her.

"Yes, what's wrong?" She asked when her mum was just few feets before her.

"Come with me, there is someone I want to introduce you to." She held her daughter's hand, because she trust her to try and slip away. Holding her hands, she took her to the place where a young man stood beside his mother.

"Ozioma!" Chika called as they approached. "Let me introduce your son to my daughter, Chioma."

"Good afternoon ma," Chioma greeted, freeing herself from her mother's grip while shooting the young man a smile.

"Ha! Chika, your daughter is one beauty to behold. See as she package eh!" The two women burst into laughter over a joke Chioma didn't see.

"Nice to meet you." The young man whose name Chioma still didn't know said stretching his hand for a handshake towards Chioma. She stared at it for a few seconds before accepting it. His hands felt rough— she didn't like rough hands.

"I am Paschal," he said giving a small smile.

"Chioma," She said, retrieving her hand from the handshake and letting it fall to her side.

The two women who stood beside them, gave a mischievous smile and excused themselves, over a silly excuse. Soon they were gone leaving only Chioma and Paschal.

Minutes later, they had gotten into a conversation, a boring one on Chioma's side. Paschal had just finish talking about his business, cars and countries he had been to.
"So what do you do?" He asked after he was done.

"Oh, I am a homicide detective," She answered, while wondering where Kachi was.

He gave a small laugh. "Isn't that a man's occupation?"

"Excuse me?" She asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh, no offence on my side. I just think, that is a profession suitable for a man, not a young lady like you."

"Oh really? That's what you think." She smacked her lips and shook her head. "So, what kind of profession do you think I should have gotten myself into."

"Well, yeah, you should have gone into a profession more suitable for women, maybe you could have learnt a trade, or be a banker. But if we were to have something special going on..." His voice went lower and he gave Chioma a look over and winked, trying to be sexy, "and we were courting, I would have to ask you to stop your work, and stay home. Because come on..." He laughed. "I can't have my woman working like me."

"Wow, just wow. You know about three years ago, I thought people with your thinking faculty would have died out of stupidity, but here you are proving me wrong." Paschal mouth dropped open in shock while hearing Chioma words, but she wasn't done. "Like, do you even listen to yourself while you speak? Do you realize how stupid your words are? The bible said wisdom is calling, but it's people like you the bible talked about when they talked about people who ignore the call of wisdom"

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, no offence on my side, I was just stating facts. Now, if you would excuse...what the... Michael?"

Chioma looked at the couple who had just walked into her father's house and there was Michael, holding the hands of Sochima, her cousin.

"You have to be kidding me?" Chioma muttered under her breathe, she turned around before Michael would see her and walked away quickly from the man she tagged stupid. She sighted her mother and the woman called Ozioma discussing and laughing with their friends. Probably thinking, they had accomplished a mission. Chioma hid behind a couple's back and was able to escape, running upstairs.

She entered her room and found Kachi who looks like she was about to come down.

"Chioma, what's wrong? You look like you are being chased."

"Sochima is here," Chioma said panting heavily.

"Sochima... Your cousin? What's wrong with her being here."

"It isn't her being here that's the problem, it's who she is here with."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Michael still can't believe he agreed to come to this, Sochima held on to his hands tight. Sochima was a girl that was supposed to be just a fling, but Michael had decided to try out a relationship with her, they had only shared a month together before Michael saw that their relationship won't work.

He had broken up with her before they even shared a bed together. They had only had hot make out sessions but never the main deal. Michael was happy he didn't sleep with her before breaking up with her, ladies he had slept with and cut ties with afterwards— let's just say, they couldn't settle with that. They got too attached and Michael avoided that.

He always had one night stand and the next morning, the ladies always thought they had something special, on Michael's side, it was just a simple fuck.

"You know? You don't have to hold my hands, I am just here with you as a friend not something more."

"I know, sorry." But she didn't stop holding his hands.

"Sochima?!" She heard her name being called and turned around to see family friends and relatives.

"Come on," She said to Michael, sending smiles their way. "Please Michael, help me, just play this cool."

Michael sighed, walking with her towards her friends, it wouldn't hurt to just do this act one more time.

                 *****************

That's for this chapter.

Mba - No
Achorom - I don't want

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