Tamie
had just finished his degree exams, but he knew he was going to utilize the
scholarship scheme and read his masters once and for all.
|
He
was dreading going home. He was beginning to get tired of his uncle's house and
their overbearing attitude. Except for his best friend and cousin and his
mother, Auntie Dupe, he would have considered moving out a long time ago. He
told Justice everything. He had never had any reason to doubt Justice's loyalty
and friendship. Infact, they often covered up for each other. He'd come to live
with them
after
he lost his parents and sister in the car crash. He couldn't stay with his
grandparents; they were too devastated by the loss of their son. And he hardly
even knew them. He could hear the car horn and the voices in the house disturbed
him.
His
uncle was a very comfortable man but he could never get used to this country.
His mother's family had never bothered to look for him. When he was younger and
his uncle treated him harshly which was often then, he'd always dream that one
day his mother's people would come looking for him.
He
still remembered them, but over time, those expectations have waned, leaving
room for despair and finally disappointment and lastly resignation. He dipped
his hand under his pillow and came up with the sky blue envelope. He'd received.
It
through post. He couldn't understand who could be writing to him. Standing up,
he moved to the door and turned the key, he didn't need anyone barging into the
room. He moved back to the bed, Justice had gone out as usual and wouldn't be
back until later in the day. It was Justice who had brought the letter to him
and as was characteristics of him had flung it at him.
“A
love letter from your latest conquest," he sneered laughing.
Tamie,
not reading any meaning to his sneering expression, had caught the letter in
mid air, shouting back, "Na you give me the girl.?" He didn't open it
then, his uncle and aunty had been around so he'd kept it. He and Justice
exchanged knowing looks. He preferred to be alone when he read it. He tore the
envelope open and a bulky document fell off. It was a legal document addressed
to him from a foreign law firm with branches in Nigeria.
Curious
and surprised, he tore the envelope open and began to read the letter
Slowly,
he read and digested the content. In one split second, Tamie's life changed. He
became a millionaire, or rather, a billionaire. He couldn't believe it; an
inheritance amounting to billions had been left for him and his late sister by
his father. Although the letter said he couldn't claim until he was twenty-five
which was in an year’s time.
He
couldn’t believe it was like a dream He stood up, walked back and forth and
wondered if there had been a mistake of sort. He rich?A director, a chairman of
a multinational outfit? It was like a dream. Then his thoughts changed to one
of fear. God, why do these people want to give me wild hopes and frustrate me?
he wondered. But then, he read letter. They couldn't be fraudsters, he thought.
They'd asked him to write acknowledging the letter. He sat down heavily on
the bed and tears flooded his eyes.His father must have been one hell of a wise
guy, he thought. For the first time in years, he allowed the dam of emotions to
burst. The pent up emotions of the accident, the loss of his parents.
The
frustration all came flooding him. Sitting there, he allowed the tears to flow
and as the tears of sorrow flowed, so it was replaced by tears of gratitude and
happiness for his dead parents.
*********************************
Justice
sat across his father. He was angry, very angry. He didn't care if his father
was also angry with him for having come out with a third class. After all,
he.never wanted to go in for economics but his dad had insisted saying that was
what Tamie was doing as well. He loved his father. Infact, he worshipped him.
But sometimes, his father acted too overbearing for him.
"Do
you understand what I'm saying Justice? You're not listening to me?" he
heard
his father's voice as if from a distance "Sorry dad, I didn't catch your
last statement,"
he apologized all smiles. "I know you didn't son, but you've to pay
attention. Did you give Tamie that letter from the lawyers?"
Justice
pecked up. "Yes dad, wow! Dad, you mean Tamie is that rich? You mean he's
a billionaire?"
"Yes,
he is," his father replied with a faraway look in his eyes "Men! His
father must have
been
very rich before his death," Justice offered, shaking his head, a smile of
wonder on his face. “Its your money son, it yours.” Barrister Collins said in a
low growl.
Justice
suddenly sat up, a questioning stare on his face.
“How
dad? How?It's a long story .. You know I sent his father who was my kid brother
abroad.
I
worked through my teeth to see him through school. After he graduated, he wrote
me talking about opening a company and investing in some firms over there. I
loved him very much, and I was proud of him, so I obliged him. I sent him money
monthly, running into millions. Infact, he urged me to open a foreign account,
which I did. But by the time he came back years later, he couldn't account for
my money.
Instead,
he fed me .stories. He came back a rich man.
When
I went to see his lawyer after his death, I learnt my brother had willed
everything to his children. They would inherit when they clock twenty-five
years of age. You can imagine the pain, son. I felt betrayed, deeply
betrayed."
Justice
looked at his father and he could feel the pain the old man was going through.
But one thing still confused him.
"Dad,
mum told me that Tamie's father was so brilliant that he had to go to school
with scholarships up to doctorate level and…."
"Shut
up! I said shut up!"
Barrister
Collins thundered with much venom.
“What
does your mother know about my family?" he got up, looking agitated.
Justice had never seen him in this mood, and he wondered what he had said
wrong. He found himself apologizing.
"I'm
sorry dad, I'm sorry," he apologized, but deep down, he wondered what he
was apologizing for.
Finally
his dad sat down. its okay son, I understand. You were just a baby when it
happened so you won't understand at all," he paused.
“So
you see, we have to watch Tamie: did you seal the letter well? I don't want
,him to suspect that it has been opened." "Of course dad, he won't
suspect a thing.
I'm
not daft."
If
there was anything he wanted I it was his father's praise. He sought it like
one sought oxygen. But most times, it eluded him. His father drove him hard.
Therefore, once he got an opportunity to do
anything
for him, he did it well. He'd always envied Tamie, right from the first time
he’d met him. He envied him, the easy rapport he had with his parents. The way
he spoke and acted, his intelligence. Tamie was everything that he was not.
While Tamie was a six-footer; he was short. Tamie had inherited his American
mother's white blood, making him extremely very light in complexion, while he
was as dark as the night. Tamie's intelligence was another story entirely; he
excelled in anything he put his mind to.
For
him, it had always been like a competition, which he was always the loser. He
hated Tamie with a passion, when he finally realized he couldn't be like him.
But Tamie would never know that his hatred for him was thicker than blood. He
won't know that he didn't share his idea of friendship.
"Watch
him Justice, you're his best friend. He trusts you, I know he'll show you the
letter, rejoice with him. He's a fool and will ultimately end up like his
father"
Justice
stared at his father. He'd sounded like he had a hand in Tamie's father's
death, but he was too scared to voice it out. He felt a thrill. At least, his
father shared his feelings where Tamie was concerned. A sadistic smile touched
his lips and he clenched and unclenched his hand in excitement. AII this while,
he never knew it was his inheritance that the bastard was going to claim. Well,
too bad, he thought. He'd take back what was his father's and rightfully his
inheritance.
CHAPTER 6
TO BE CONT.
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