The Thorny Path to Europe - Episode 5

Ade drove out of the house as fast as he could as he had to make Lizzy tag along to pay her own money.

'Ade, I've not gotten the full amount'.

'We too'.

'We have to work something out. Can't one of you wait behind?'

'I told Tunde, but he insisted on going too. We've decided to beg the man. Tunde couldn't go because our mother is suspecting us of something we didn't do'.

'And you think he will collect it?'

'Of course, he will'.

'Stop sleeping. Wake up. This man will not collect nothing', she rebuked him.

' Do you know him? Even at that, if he refuses, we will stay at home'.

'And lose such opportunity? No. No. Not at all. Things like these are once in a lifetime'.

'We can get another one. It's not that deep'.

'What's not deep? What do you mean by deep?' She asked.

'I mean. It's not as serious as that'.

'Oh! Who told you? These things are as serious as anything in the world. We can only get this opportunity once. How many time has anyone ever come to you talking about going abroad?

None... Or how many times?' She said and began to unzip his trousers

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. He gave her a cold glaze and she removed her hand. She always saw any opportunity together as a reason to copulate, and he loved it until that time. Ade was focused on the road and didn't know what to think or believe. He zipped his trousers and she shrugged and began to fiddle with her bag.

'Talk. Tell me. How many times? These opportunities are like roses that blossom in adversity. They are... How did that Papa Pope put it? They are rare. Very rare. You can't get a chance to see them again. So, how much do you think or do you say you have?'

'We have Eight ninety thousand. We're keeping fifty for contingencies'.

'You....' She said and her voice faded off as she seemed to be in deep thought. She was fond of pretending to be Olivia Pope from the TV Series ' Scandal'. He knew she already knew what she wanted to say and must have been practising it from home. She stared into the evening as if she was in a trance. 'You will sell this car'.

'Sell car? What's sell? What car? This? No... This will kill my father'.

'Your father will have to pick temporal success over the permanent one. And he is like a baby. You know what babies are now...' She argued.

'I don't want to hear this hogwash. Let's discuss a realistic solution'.

'Well, you're the one acting like a baby here. The sentiment you're showing is becoming too deep, as you put it, for my liking. You need to have a sense of responsibility. I mean you to be a man. We'll be married one day. Is this how you'll act? Act. Act like a man. Think like one. You can't just spend your life like this. Think. The car is even the second phase of the plan'.

'Oh! Your plan, that is making my love for you dwindle like an electric train, has other phases, a first phase?'

' A first phase that you would surely not like, and might probably yell at me for if you hear it'.

'Spit it out already'.

'Adex, It's the truth... And after you use it, you will see that you made the right choice. The thing you have to do is to take some part of the money for yourself. Pay the man five hundred thousand naira. Then, take fifty thousand for contingencies. It will remain erm... How much again? It will remain three ninety thousand. Then, you will give me One fifty thousand to add to mine. It will remain one hundred and ninety thousand. We will sell this car for three hundred and add it to that of your brother's. Oh! It will remain for ten thousand. We will remove ten thousand from the one with you. I would have asked that we collect some of the fifty thousand, but he will suspect. I'm sure we can find other means before we leave and by then, I would have found money to refund you guys for the trip and we will all be fine'.

'Why didn't we say this at the beginning? I mean why didn't I suspect that you were always heartless?' Ade gritted. He withdrew from her touch.

She pouted and began to dab her face with a powder duster. 'Please, don't call me heartless.

Read " Grabbing The Hot Gate " by the same author ( Akíntayo Akinjide )

. I love you. It's your brother that has a problem. He is selfish. I know you know'.

'That doesn't mean....'

'It means he is selfish. You're the more agile one. You should stay woke. You can't sleep at this moment. The most painful part is that you people can share this money without much problem. Don't always play second fiddle to him. I think you always complained about this'.

‘Don’t tell me what’s not’. He marched out.

Ade kept quiet as he drove off, knowing that her plan was really good and hoped it was the right decision.