Thanks guys.

Beautiful story, keep it coming!!!

Thanks. I will.

Infinite Love 70

It happened in one of those days after his third year at bank.

He hated his job and of the two people he cared most about in the world, one had effectively cut him off from his life. And the other was having the hardest time in the world ever since the loss of his dad. And even though he wanted to help, all he had to offer was money when he had it and he wished he could do more. Michael deserved much more. They were all so happy and beautifully naive in high school and somehow, life had to happen to them individually and collectively. He was part reason he had remained at his slavering soul-sucking desk six days a week and sometimes seven. He was now dead inside. Flesh eating zombies had more sensations than him. All that changed one late afternoon when he saw her.

She was tearing up and he noticed her the minute he came over to Sola's desk. Sola the ebony tanned petite lady in reception was the only one for whom he did not mind her bothering him so much. When bankers realise that you're good at your job then they always seem to get cold feet at doing their own jobs. They all somehow felt that as the IT and Data guy who never attended to clients directly, he must have free time to waste on other workers' jobs. He always tried to help nevetheless, he didn't care about anything so much these days, even his own time, besides he liked to help. At least even if he couldn't Michael or find out where Dayo was at least he could help his colleagues.

Mrs Oguntokun was her name and she was constantly wiping her eyes on the edge of her wrapper as Sola tried to explain to her why she couldn't get her late husband's pension money.

"Mama, e ma ke. Kon se beyen." she said trying to console her "It's not like we don't want to pay you your husband's pension money, it's just that you have to be the 'Next of Kin' before you can collect it from us. Ehn? I am so sorry, ma. I understand your predicament as you have explained it all to well to me and my boss but there is nothing we can do. It is not my fault, ma. You know that I took you to my boss directly so that we could resolve it but like I told you before, things are not done that way, ma. I am so sorry."

Mrs Oguntokun, a septuagenarian, could only wipe her tears muttering under her breath about her woes. And seeing her like that, an old lady of about 78 down on her luck and beaten bravely trying to hide her pain tugged at Dayo's numb heart.

"Hey, Sola, what's going on here? Wh...why is she crying? he asked and she pulled him into corner beside the water dispenser to give him the low down out of everyone else's earshot.

"Dayo, it is really sad and it is days like this that I really hate my job. I swear!"

"Why do you say that? What's the matter?"

"That old lady is Mrs Oguntokun. Her late husband is Samson Oguntokun a retired worker of the Nigerian Railway Cooperation. Being an illeterate, she didn't even know that her late husband had a pension account with us that was opened for him by the government before they got married. It is a miracle that she even found out that the pension account is with us because the government has moved the account about three times already to different banks. Anyways, she has been having health problems because the house she is living in right now is a family house, owned by many members of her late husband's family who now wants to sell it.

It was her one of her grandchildren that found an old salary slip of her late husband that lead her to us. You see her husband's family had been battling her because they felt that she had already collected his pensions and other entitlements."

"Wow. that's terrible!"

"Yes! And the worst thing is crazy thing is...she is actually very wealthy she just doesn't know it yet."

"Wait, how come?"

"Her late husband's pension is over fifty million in cash...And, he had a mortage on a government house on the island that has now been completely paid for from his pension about ten years ago. So now, she has an estimated value of about ninety million naira!"

Whew!" he whistled.

"Then go on. Give it to her now!" he edged her on practically pushing her to the ignorant wealthy old lady.

"I can't, that's the problem. She's not the next of kin."

"Well...who is it then?" but Sola hesitated in revealing confidential information.

"Come on, Sola. You know I'm not like that. I don't care about the money, I'm just curious." she nodded convinced.

It's her three children!"

"Yeah! All she has to do now is bring them all here together with proof of identification and the money is their's!"

"Wow! Hey, you should tell her that!"

"You know I can't do that. It's against banking policy and I could get fired. But I took her took Mr Bankole, upstairs and showed him everything and we found that her late husband is one of the names in the Tafa Files. So he told her that there was nothing we could do since she hasn't any access to the money and dismissed us both."

"That's all?!"

"Can you believe it? I even thought he would make an exception or some due diligence, but yes, that's all he did."

"Wait, so now her money and wealth will remains under the bank's control until God knows when because she didn't come with her children?"

"Shush." and she quickly looked towards Mrs Oguntokun to make she didn't over hear them "Do you want to get me in trouble? You're not new here. You know how bankers guard anything that has to do with the Tafa files? The estimated unclaimed wealth in those files number in trillions!"

"Oh my God!" he gasped and she nodded at him.

"Well, I should go dismiss her. God, this is so unfair! I am not of one the clique reaping the benefits from those files but I am the one that is doing their dirty work." she sighed and Dayo watched her walk up to the old woman and even though he couldn't hear what was said, he knew what she said and stood transfixed as he watched the old lady calmly stand up, straighten her blouse and undid her wrapper to re-tie it around her waist. She re-did her head wrapper and watched as she calmly walked slightly bent at the back towards the door. Salisu, the bank's doorman/security helped her and collected her sole item which was her plastic handbag as she went through the metal detector glass door.

Whether it was his detest for cooperate malpractices or his heart suddenly coming to life in sympathy for the old lady or both. Suddenly, Dayo sprang back upstairs to his office to pick his phone, a pen and a paper and then he went out the back door after Mrs Oguntokun.

He found her quickly enough. She was bent over against a wall beside the bank. He couldn't tell if it was her bad knee hurting her or her grief over her predicament or both that had her in that position, he just approached her.

"Erm, Mama. E kaa san. E jo ema binu. My name is Dayo, I work in the bank. Please tell me what the problem is?"

She looked up gradually to his face and slowly stood up as straight as she could against the wall and began;
"Do you work in this bank?"

"Yes ma."

"O se, oko mi. Thank you my son. My late husband had told me everything and he used to make me keep everything he recieved from his work. Every single paper. Whether it is promotion o or salary slip. But you know I didn't know what most of them meant because I cannot read nor write..."

"I understand, ma."

"...so I just kept them and kept them even after he died. He told me he had a house that he was buying from the government and that they were keeping his pension for him after he retired. But after he died I just assumed that all those things were gone. And I couldn't get them again. But recently, he brothers and the rest of his family members are calling me a witch saying that I killed my husband and spent the money. They have even threatened to evict me from their family house. The one that I have lived with my husband for many years. It was some of my grandchildren that were playing in my cupboard and spilled all my late husband's documents for my daughter to find them again and after searching many places before here, she told me to come here and now they say that I can't have the money." and she began crying.

Infinite Love 71

Employee Of The Month

He brought out his crested handkerchief, the nice one that he never used and offered it to her half expecting her to refuse it but she graciously accepted it saying.

"O se oko mi. Thank you my son." and wiped her tears with it.

"Mama, I am very sorry about all that you are going through it is really tough but I can promise you that I will try my possible best to see that you get all that is yours."

And with that she looked him in the eye, evaluating him for any sign of conviction or insanity.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Dayo."

"...and you work at the bank?"

"Yes, ma."

"Thank you very much, my son. You will not lack in your life." and she held out his handkerchief but he declined it.

"Thank you very much, my son. You will surely grow old."

"Amen, ma. Thank you." and he proceeded to help her with her bag but she declined his help.

"No, my son. I can manage it." and she lifted her bag, straightened her back as much as she can and went her way towards the bus stop.

He watched her for a few minutes, wondering if she believed hm or thought he was just making empty promises to console her. But she had little faith in him, he could tell. He didn't blame her. Something in her expression should someone who had grown to disbelieve people. And guessing from her small history, it was wiser for her to expect little from people. But he hoped to prove her wrong. She was already very wrong to think that he, Dayo would grow old. From his relationship with most people somebody was probably going to murder him before he turns forty five. However, he didn't exactly know why, maybe it was because she reminded him of his late grandmother who would sneak extra sweets into his pocket without letting his other siblings know, or maybe he was a sucker for sad cases. Whatever it was, he was going to do everything he could to get her, her money. And so he became the employee of the month.

He showed up to work bright and early the next day with a different man. A new banker. The type of banker other bankers want to be around. He saluted the security guard.

He greeted his colleagues warmly and he even stamped his right foot on the ground to a military stance of "Attention!" the moment he saw his supervisor who eyed his suspiciously initially then smiled warmly and said.

"At ease, soldier but you were supposed to stamp your left foot to attention."

And they both laughed at his military ineptitude. He also hailed his bank manager with a "Shun sir" Mr Bankole whom he calls Black Santa Claus behind his back and offered to help him carry his briefcase. But he declined and gently patted Dayo on th back and gave him a thumbs up as he climbed up the stairs into his office. Bringing a coffee flask and sharing it with the rest of the workers. He never refused a request or an assistance no matter how benign or idiotic he thought it was of anyone like when Emeka couldn't restart his system by himself. In fact he asked for more work from them. He even put down the toilet seats. He was an absolute delight. Sola mentioned it too.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, i'm fine, my dear."

"Did you get a new girlfriend?"

"But how could ever think of such a thing when I already have you in my life, darling?"

"Oh boy. Shey you don dey smoke?" asked Emeka and he tapped Dayo on the head to make sure that it was properly screwed on tight.

"Bros Emeka, please. Don't do that. I said I'm fine."

"I don't think you are okay o." Emeka said shaking his bald heading which reflected the halls flourescent lighting everywhere like disco dance hall light globe.

Both Dayo and Sola laughed to watch him go.

"Seriously, it's like you're a new person all around. You are just so different."

"Why? I'm just happy and why shouldn't I be, when I have you in my life?"

"Eh hen?" she gasped.

"Now please, let me get back to work so that I can finish helping Emeka and you with your records."

"Ah, alright. Please don't forget to email me as soon as you're done."

"Yes, ma'am." and he saluted making her laugh.

'You're so different." and she left.

He worked late that day, later than usually for a banker due to his workload.

"Oga, you tey tonight o!" said the security guard.

"Yes, Moses. Thank you. I was busy with other people's jobs."

"Eyyah. Hope they will pay you other people's salary sha?"

"For where? Goodnight jare."

But it was the same for the next night and the night after that. He was always helping and asking for more work. You would see him during the day on his colleagues system, helping them restart and install and inputing data to help carry their work or balance their books. He was so helpful that even some of the ended up going home earlier than expected. While he just kept on going home later and later in the night due to work swamps. And his colleagues became carefree with him with their system and Moses was never again surprised to see him go home late again. Until one particular night that he nearly slept in the bank. It was close to their monthly audits and it was expected of every to have their numbers looking good.

"Excuse me, sir. May I come?" he asked his manager.

"Sure! What can I do for you?" Mr Bankole asked getting off the phone makind Dayo suspect it wasn't his wife on the other line.

"I just need to check something on your system real quick. I need to make sure the new balance sheet HQ is not acting up. Some of the guys have complained about it to me."

"Oh really? By all means come and check." and he got off his desk for Dayo.

"No sir, that's not neces..."

"No, no go ahead. And... let me just say that you have been very helpful around here as of late. I want you to know that I appreciate it and keep it up."

"Thank you sir."

"So go ahead. I just need to use the mensroom for a bit." and he keyed in his password to activate his laptop and left the office for Dayo to continue his call. Dayo found that his computer had been idle for a long time with only a few tabs open. Dayo was not surprised. Bank managers operated majorly a supervisor role with little to do. He open the peachtree spreadsheet application, ran a few calcutions on it and found absolutely nothing wrong with it. So he connected his micro USB flash drive, the one that is shaped in the form of a car key slotted it in. He quickly opened a small file and activated it. He copied a few files after a quick search and disconnected the flashdrive.

Mr Bankole came back a few minutes later and asked if everything was fine. He said it was not and to demonstrate he opened a new spreadsheet and pressed Control + S. The spreadsheet page jumped a little bit instead of saving the file and DAyo told him they had to access some documents in the C drive that were under an administrative lock. So Mr Bankole, opened the files and Dayo ran an antivirus on them detecting three malwares. He tried Control + S again and this time the file saved. So, Mr Bankole thanked him before he left. He finally had access to the files he had been looking for all week; The Tafa Files.

Dayo is a genius and one with a good heart. Thanks for the update and please try and update frequently.

I'll try.

You're welcome boss.

Infinite Love 72

The Tafa Files

Dayo sat there staring at the ceiling after about two hours of perusing an unauthorized copy of a section of the Tafa Files on his laptop and his brain was still spinning.

There are many that banks and bankers cheat the common man out of their money and he had the past three years at the bank discovered a few of them.

There was the numero zero error tactic where a bank would deliberately input or delete an erroneaus number usually number 0 either in the account number or the amount of the account holder. You would think that mistakenly add a number 0 in someone's account number preventing the account owner access to their hard earned funds would raise a red flag from that person and blow the whole thing up, but you would be surprised; more often than not, it doesn't. The numero cero usually works best in public funds where fictitious or ghost workers are so numerous that some accounts are just another avenue for leaking funds. And some genuine account holders just don't bother going to claim their money.

Another tactic is to delay payment as long as possible to allow interest acrue on the funds to later pay the money and keep the interest. Some bankers are bold enough to get involved with criminals and internet crooks to sell inside information to them. But the worst of them all is the Tafa Files.

Around the time the country became a second republic many funds were invested into the rehabilitation of the police force. One Tafa Ridwan who was then Commissioner for Police who was tasked with this job but soon after another coup occured and Nigeria became a third republic and in the ensuing chaos, the police commissioner quietly embezzled all the money that was meant for armament, vehicles, radios, salaries, houses and renovation of police station and barracks, salaries and widows conpensation of his fellow policemen, hoping that a succession of coups would cover up his misappropriation. But no other coup happened and the country was once again on road to a successful independent country. Later on, eye brows were raised and investigations were launched and a panel found the former Commissioner of Police guilty of embezzlement. But instead of confessing to his crime, the former commission stuck to his story of due diligence and blamed the poor state of the Nigerian Police on the everything else to coups, to attacks from criminals to misuse on the part of the policemen theirselves. So outraged were the policemen in the vicinity that shortly before Tafa was lead out of the court, he was and in less than twenty minutes, Tafa was lynched by his fellow policemen. The outcome of the investigations to discover that fund was never disclosed to the public. But after the panel had retrieved the funds in an offshore swiss bank account connected to Tafa that the leadind members of the panel reembezzled it and split it amongst themselves into many parts and overtime; grew their own embezzled and misappropriated funds likewise, from pensioners gratuities to teachers salaries to funds from uncompleted self awarded government projects.

All safely stored away into personal or business accounts in local banks as a rainy day or retirement funds. The files Dayo had on his computer contained money embezzled from teachers, pensioners and some national agricultural campaign from twelve years ago. Dayo knew all this now but he didn't know the answer to the question.

"What do I do now?" he said for the umpteeth time.
"Do look away as so many others have done before?" which would be the sensible and safest thing to do.

"Or do I give Mrs Oguntokun her husband's funds?"

He thought about it over and over and spun around in his swivel chair hoping for an answer to descend upon him from the heavens. Deep down, he knew what he wanted to do but he questioned himself.

"Can I even do that?" he asked.

"Am I the kind of person to touch stolen money in order to give it to an old lady who is the lawful owner just because she really needs it and I promised her?

He spun around in his swivel chair once again hoping to stop on an answer sent down from heaven.

Infinite Love 73

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

He never thought there would be this much commotion. Sure, he knew there would some sort of alarm maybe a little warning or a talking to but when he saw the soldiers go into Black Santa's office, he was very alarmed.

"No! Leave my workers out of it! You cannot harrass them. They knew nothing about this. It was merely a coincidence!" Mr Bamidele was saying, practically yelling to the colonel or maybe lieutenant he was never good with telling ranks, stripes or stars never really meant anything to him.

"Mistar Menegar. You ad beta be quiet eef you no wat ees goot for you." said the obviously northern colonel with the bad English and an attitude worthy of Hitler's gestapo.

"Mtchew! Leave them alone!" Mr Bamidele said again bravely and undaunted in front of a semi battalion of asskicking soldiers.

Dayo couldn't believe it all. Especially, black Santa.He always judged him by his big tummy and good natured attitude. Dayo never liked him. Good natured people were always so boring to him. Many times he was tempted to throw a show at Santa just to see anything else on his face besides a smile to everyone. The man was so nice, it was downright annoying! He always thought that in front of tough guys Santa would cower like a fat coward but seeing him now with his back straightened and his chest puffed out he looked twice as big and downright scary like a grizzly bear. He never knew Santa was such a badass.

Now, he felt bad for giving him attitude and for ever wanting to hit him with his shoe.

The two face held their ground. One practically, had an army behind him and the other had scared chickens behind him, one of which was Dayo, the culprit.

"Should i turn myself in and save Santa the trouble and spare this guys the fear?" he wondered.

Nope! He could barely keep from wetting his pants there's no way he could muster the courage to face those soldiers.

"We have heard you and we will get to the bottom of it and let you know whatever we find."

Mr Bamidele insisted and the Gestapo seemed to consider it and say.

"One week!" he said never once blinking "And after, I come back." and with that he left and the soldiers followed him finally giving everyone room to breathe. Dayo ran to the men's room to take a leak.

Shortly after that incident, all the workers were questioned individually and collectively. There were funds missing from a very sensitive client's account. Whoever or whomever had information about the theft, misappropriation or had accessed an unathorized account had to come clean or pointed out. The bank was a lot of pressure. But alas, nobody knew anything, nobody saw nothing. Fortunately, all the workers were all too scared to even mentioned that they had given him more access to their files than necessary because that alone was against banking policy. And everybody knew that coming forward in this country is in itself a dangerous action so everybody just kept mute and buried their heads hoping for the entire episode to die down.

Dayo had initially felt relieved at not being ratted out upon but then found that the suspense was getting to him. He could barely function at work or sleep at home. He considered quitting the job but that was tantamont to admission of guilt and who knows who sent those soldiers. They could hunt him down.

So he ended up going to work as a nervous wreck daily. Constantly, looking over his shoulders and watching people for any signs of suspicion. He never knew this kind of heat would be generated from his actions. He only wanted to help out an old lady in distress and now his mental health was threatened and possibly his safety too.

After a few weeks the heat dissipated and normalcy was begining to return to the bank and amongst the bankers and some of them even joked about it; accusing each other of being scared of mere soldiers and some admitted that they peed their pants a little while others like Emeka claimed to be capable of fending off soldiers singlehandedly.

Yes, normalcy was begining to get back to work as nobody was questioned anymore since nobody came out with any information whatsoever so the whole thing was about being shelved under the rug. In fact, the soldier incident was almost forgotten never mentioned again at all only the bravery of Mr Bamidele was praised with all workers greeting him with renewed gusto and hails of Oga Strongman reverberating aroung the halls whenever he walked by.

It was on one of such quiet days that Santa, now Strongman called Dayo to his office to help with computer glitch again. Dayo went upstairs immediately, as opposed to his usual delaying to the last moment because he himself was also newly enamored by his boss Strongman.

"Sir?" he said poking his head in to find Strongma at his table alone with his face glued to the computer screen, probably playing Solitaire again.

"Oh, yes, Dayo. Please...come in." he said offhandedly.

"Yes, sir. Thank you. So, how may I help you with your computer this time, sir"

"Oh, my computer is fine, Dayo." he said not once taking his eyes off the screen "I just wanted to let you know that I know...it was you."

"Sorry, sir? I don't get you."

"Somebody, had accessed the Tafa Files and moved money to a lady that was here a few weeks ago." he said not once blinking nor looking at Dayo as Dayo heart beat suddenly became loud and his blood pressure erratic.

"That person.." then he looked Dayo squarely in the face, pinning him down with the truth "...was you, Dayo." he said.

This Mr bamidele is really indeed a strong man. Thanks for the update. More ink to your pen.

Infinite Love 74

Three Little Women

She wasn't disturbed by the smell of the place. It was a mixture of wet soil and refuse and clogged drainage.

She wasn't even bothered by the children running around almost hitting her with their tyres propelled along by a wooden handle others by an iron handle crafted from a clothes hanger. She navigated their environment quickly and with ease. It used to live in a place like this, back when life was young and their situations were reversed. Her family was poor and almost in pieces, while his rock solid and they had everything she could hope for.

She needed to see him. He wasn't even aware that she was coming and she wondered what his reaction would be like. She couldn't tell. Things between them had changed so much in such a short time that she was still doubting her visit. But she needed to see him still. His number was not getting through and she had already tried the laundromat a few times to no avail. Things between her and her mom was still tense. It felt like coming home to a stranger and now that her series shoot was drawing to a close Princewill was more difficult than usual and being lazy giving her more stress. But still, her career was going her way and she was finally getting what she wanted but all she felt was....alone.

With a little direction and assistance from others she found the place; Michael's home. She recognized it immediately on seeing his mom and another woman at the front.

"Adanna! Why don't you wait for Johnny to come back and wash your clothes for you?"

"Mama, I have already told you that I want to do it to exercise my body. I am fine. No need to treat me like a baby anymore."

"You say that now but then you will complain about aching joints later. Just remember that we can't afford hospital bills right now."

"Mama, nobody is going to the hospital. It's only a little exercise, biko nu hen?"

"Okay o."

Angela walked towards them hating to interrupt their friendly banter. It reminded her of how she used to be with her mom, way back when, before her father left.

"Good afternoon, ma. Good afternoon, ma." She curtsied slightly.

"Ahh ah ah, Angela?"

"Yes ma. It's me."

"Welcome, good afternoon my dear. Mama, look! It's Angela."

And the older woman looked up at her quizzically before shrugging her head and said

"Good afternoon my dear." and she went back to peeling watermelon seeds in her tray.

"Ay, Mama. Leave that one first now. Don't you remember Angela? Michael's friend? From television?"

A glimpse of recognition came on her face.

"Oh, the one we watch every evening?"

"YES!"

"Ah, welcome my daughter. Sorry I didn't recognise you sooner but my eyes are old and they are full of water."

"It's alright, ma."

"Angela, how are you and how is your mom?"

"I'm fine ma. My mom is fine too. Thank you."

"Oh, that's good my dear. It's so good to see you. And...oh where are my manners? Please come and sit down."

"Oh, not to worry ma. I'm fine but is Michael home? I have beentrying his number but it isn't getting through and I noticed that he has closed the shop."

Infinite Love 75

"YES!"

"Ah, welcome my daughter. Sorry I didn't recognise you sooner but my eyes are old and they are full of water."

"Oh, that's alright ma. It's no problem at all. I'm sorry ma I came to check Michael at home. I was at his shop but he wasn't there and his phone is off."

"Oh, no. He's not home. He went out with Johnny. "

"I see."

"But he is has closed down the shop. He cleaned it out last week. So he is no longer working there."

"Really? Ma, he didn't tell me that." she said suddenly distraught.

"What?" Mama said confused then she added quickly "Oh, it must be that he forgot due to the stress of cleaning out the shop."

Angela just stood there for a moment. Not knowing what to make of Michael's sudden distancing from her. She knew that he wasn't entirely alright but know she suspected that he was upset with her. Otherwise, why wouldn't he have told her anything all week?

"Don't worry too much about it my dear." Grandma said smakin You know how all these boys are. Here, " and she shifted in her seat on the bench " come sit beside me. I can see that your shoes are already muddy, come here so we can help you clean it up."

"Yes, come sit." added Mama.

"Oh, its alright ma. It'll just get dirty on my way home again. I better get going now. Please tell Micheal to call me."

"Oh, sure, sure. I will make sure he calls you before he leaves!" she promised.

"Leaves? Where is he going? When is he leaving?" she asked even more perplexed surprising Adam's mom.

"Erm...well. I will just make sure that he calls you when he gets back so you two can talk."

"Okay, ma." she said simply knowing that Michael's mum wouldn't say anymore. "I'll be going now."

"Okay dear."

"Thank you for coming."

She paused for a bit hoping that either one of the women would tell her what was going on. But looking at them she knew that wouldn't happen. She could sense the closeness them. A mother and daughter that came with unspoken synchronisation and understanding. A strong connection. Like the one she used to have with her mother but lost after her father left. So she just turned and left.

"Are you sure that Michael likes that girl?"

"Yes, I'm very sure."

"She looks to me like she's the one in love." Grandma going back to peeling watermelon seeds.

Thanks for the update. Please try and update frequently.

Guess who's back?

Infinite Love 76

Breaking Barriers

The recent silence between them for the past few weeks was nothing but torture. The two of them have been brothers all their lives but only now has Michael realised that they had also been friends, very good friends; best friends.

And after the occurence at the police with Officer Martin a distance had grown between. A wall of silence growing higher and higher that Michael hadn't been able to surmount. He was deathly afraid of leaving without patching things between them. He was afraid if he didn't do it now and left, things might never be the same between them again. So he insisted Johnny came with him to see Dayo at the bank, even though there wasn't any real need for him to be there.

So he tried again for the umpteenth time.

"So...how are things between you and Loveth?"

"Fine." Johnny shrugged, for the umpteenth time.

"How is her admission to Unilag going?"

"Fine...she's hoping her name will come out in the next list."

Another round of silence followed. Michael sucked in air and exhaled. This back and forth was getting them nowhere. Best to just address the elephant in the room and be done with it. Only honesty, could save their relationship now.

"Hey, Johnny?"

"Yep." he said focusing on the Xenzia snake game on his Nokia 3310 phone one of the many things that Michael doesn't know how he got it or whose it really is.

"Can we talk? Put that away please."

He did so very slowly.

"Hey, I just...want to say that...I'm sorry."

Johnny looked at him, directly, intensely as if seeing him for the first time.

"I slapped you at the station and I really regret doing that. But I didn't do it because I was supporting Martins, no. I did it because...well, because..."

"Because you didn't like the way I was acting at the station."

"YES! That's true."

"You were talking like one of those ghetto touts and ..."

"You had been talking to them like a gentlemen and how was that working for you?" He cut in.

"...well, not very well but..."

"And what is wrong with talking ghetto? Ghetto guys are people too!"

"...I know...it's just...it just freaked me out and I guess...I overreacted because that's not the way dad raised us to be."

He sighed. "Broda. I know you don't want to hear it and please don't slap me again but...dad's not here right now. He's gone...and we're living in a ghetto not on the Island anymore. If he were here. We wouldn't be in the ghetto but he's not. And we have to live as best as we can according to our situation. That's just the facts broda. I'm just being honest." he said tentatively afraid he might have upset Michael again because he really hadn't to either times.

But Michael just smiled and asked;

"When did my little brother become so wise?" and he dig his hand into his bushy hair and wrinkled it the more.

"Ahh! Stop! Stop!" he protested smiling "I'm just giving my own point of view."

"Yes I get it now. So, how long have you been hanging out with the ghetto boys?"

"Not long. But it's not all of them though. Just Capo."

Michael looked puzzled because he really didn't know who or what a capo was.

"Capo is the chairman of the motorist association in the garage."

Welcome back. Thanks for the update.

Thanks boss
Its great to be back

Welcome back more updates biko story is getting more interesting

Infinite Love 77

"Oh, he said." trying to mask his distaste.

Johnny was studying him carefully "Brother, he's really not that bad."

"I...I well...I didn't say he was, I just...um..."He tried to bring up all the reasons that his brother should stay away from someone like Capo because well, responsible folks don't hang around mafia bosses but that would only push his brother further away and so he decided to trust Johnny and simply asked "Do we like Capo?"

"YES!" he said bursting with the energy of his old self again and Michael was glad to see him smile. "We do. Because even he is the boss, he doesn't push me around like he does some people. He just hires me to do some jobs for him, sensitive jobs."

An alarm bell went up in Michael's brain here.

"What do you mean...sensitive?"

"You know?"

"No, I don't know. I think know that you were hanging out with ghetto mafiosos, I didn't know that you could talk ghetto and I certainly didn't know that you were hanging around someone named Capo./I think we've already established that I don't know anything anymore."

"Okay, calm down, brother." he said giggling that boyish smile of his. "When I say sensitive I don't mean anything dangerous. I mean things like...family stuff. He has three wives who don't like each other and about four girlfriends that are vying to be his fourth wife, since he's Muslim. So whenever he wants to send provisions or some change to either of them he sends me because his wives and girlfriends are related to some of his boys and they always leak that kind of stuff to the other women if he ever does it to one."

"Okay, so you just help him with his women troubles?

"Yes. Well, that and when it comes to things he doesn't know how to do like write a letter, send an email or search the internet for a car that he likes and so on."

Michael was somewhat relieved to hear this.

"PHew!"

"It's nothing dangerous I promise and he is really nice. He gave me this phone and usually some cash to help with you know...mom and house things."

"Really? You mean I don't provide enough for all of us?"

His brother smiled his boyish smile once more "Brother you really don't know what is going on in this country of ours. You need to get to the market and see the robbery prices of goods. If I wasn't supplementing with the change I get from Capo and sometimes from his girlfriends and wives, I don't think we would have enough at home."

"I see." Michael said downheartedly, unknowingly his brother had given him more reason to leave. Now his mind was more determined than ever before to go. Johnny took his silence for sadness and added;

"It's alright brother, we all that you're trying your best. We don't blame you for anything."

"No, but I should do more. I can do more."

"Oh, brother. Just leave it. Me? I like things the way they are, honestly."

Michael believe he did

"Since the work I am doing is not dangerous, we can both take care of Mama." he said proudly.

"Well, it's not dangerous by the job per say...but it still dangerous by virtue of association. Wasn't the last mafia boss shot and killed?"

"Er...yes but...I am not doing any of their risky jobs brother."

"Yes but you can still get caught in the crosshairs of the rival gangs or whatever."

"Well, yes...but that's one of the reasons I keep telling him I can't work for him full time. He keeps asking me but I always tell him that my brother would not allow me."

Michael was pleased to hear that.

"Listen, I am not okay with you working, even on a part time basis for that guy...Capo. I understand why you do it. But I don't like it and I will never like it, it's too risky..."

"...oh, brother I can take care of myself now."

"...but. But I won't stop you from doing it."

"Really?"

"Really. We have to do what we have to do, you know?"

"I know. Exactly! Oh, brother. I have so many things to tell you. So many stories that I couldn't tell you before because I was afraid you wouldn't allow me. You need to see how Capo was shaking the day his second wife caught one of his girlfriends in his office. Ha ha. Imagine the man many people fear, shaking. Shaking and stammering for his second wife. Ha ha!"

They both shared a laugh until Michael remembered.

"Wait! Mama doesn't know about this, does she?"

"Ah, no brother. I can't ever tell her that."

"Good."

"I didn't like keeping all of this from you. Now I can tell you everything."

"I didn't like not talking to you either. You're one of my best friends you know? I really missed you."

"Me too. But...brother?"

"Yes?"

"Can't I go work for Capo full time?"

"No, absolutely not!"

"But don't you think it will help us? Because then we would be able to afford a better place, maybe a proper apartment or even a whole hous?"

"No, Johnny. I don't want that for you."

"Chimezie, joined him nearly two years ago and now he has finished his house in the village o!"

Michael saw the appeal and remained silent for a bit, thinking.

"Anything that might risk your life, I don't want it.
What's the use a house if you're not there with us?"

"Okay o. I'm just saying that it is not such a bad idea as long as I keep safe."

"You know what? Let's have a deal."

"Okay?"

"Give me two years. If I don't change our situation at the end of that time then you can go join Capo fulltime."

JOhnny thought for a bit "Two years is a long time, brother." he said finally.

"Okay, then; one year. If things don't look good for me or us by then. You can do whatever you want."

"Twelve months right? One year!"

"Twelve months starting now."

"DEAL!" johnny said.

"You're really confident of this plan of yours?"

"I am. As long as I can get Dayo and Onos to support me. I can do it."

"Why Dayo and Onos? Can't you do it yourself because is busy working at the bank and I haven't seen your friend Onos in a very long time?"

"I know that but I still need to ask them because I...need their support."

"Hey, Mama and I will definetely support you."

"I know, that goes without saying, it's just...there's only been three people who have helped me achieve my goals; Papa, Dayo and Onos. Those three pushed me constantly and never let me give up even when I wanted to or I was doubting myself. I used to find it annoying, so annoying but support like that is invaluable. With them by my side I can achieve anything."

"Okay. So that's why we are going to see Dayo at the bank today, right? To tell him about your plan?"

"Yes."

"Okay, and what about Angela? Isn't she a good support system? Or won't you tell her at all?"

Michael froze for a mid second. He hadn't thought of what to do with Angela at all. He had always avoided thinking about it. How was he going to tell her? Would she understand? Would she be mad? He pushed it from his mind again.

"I'll tell her soon." he said simply and Johnny shrugged.
They got to the bank and informed the security whom they were looking for and begged him to go get him.

They security went inside briefly and came out saying;

"I have asked the cleaner to go get him for you. We will come out soon please wait."

But Dayo didn't come out soon, infact he took a long time and they had to beg the security to go get him again. After many pleas he finally did but came out without Dayo still.

"I saw him hiding somewhere but he says that he is coming so please wait."

"Hiding?"

"What do you mean hiding?" they asked but the security onl shrugged indifferently.

After about three minutes they saw the shape of Dayo peeping out to them first before coming to see them.

"Guys, come in!" was all he said as he rushed them in. He rushed them to his small cubicle in a last corner of the second floor in a very strange manner. Almost ducking behind his desk, hiding like the security man said.

"Dayo, what is going on? You're starting to scare me." Michael said.

"Guys, I think I'm in big trouble!"

Mr Abdul, welcome back.

You do me strong thing oh. I kept on checking on your site but to no avail.

You really cracked me up here;
"They asked an elderly man;

Michael? I have said it! I knew it! Michael is not a good person! Anybody named Michael is never a good person!” the old man exclaimed and the uniformed men were happy to have found someone who didnt support Michael to help them.

“Good! Thank you very much sir. Now please, where is he?”

“Who?” the old man asked them puzzled.

“Michael sir.”

“Michael?” he asked again puzzled.

“Yes sir. WHere is Michael, WHere does he live?”

And the old man glared at them fiercely before blurting out;

“HE IS DEAD! Michael died in 1897.” and the men looked at eachother quizzically.

“Yes, Michael is dead. And may his soul not rest in perfect peace. In fact, may his soul not rest at! Do you know what he did? After I saw her, my one and only Chioma, I told Michael that is the girl that i am going to marry. Please go and talk to her for me. Do you know what he did? He went to talk to her and came back to tell me that both of them were getting married in ten days. HE STOLE HER FROM ME!!”

My wife thought I have going mad.

Thanks and please add more updates to make up for the lost time.

Lolz. So glad you enjoyed that bit sir.

Sorry for going AWOL on you. Life happens you know? Even I felt bad for not writing for so long.

More updates coming up soon.

Infinite Love 78

Lion Heart

Honestly, they were starting to get freaked out. Dayo was acting totally weird and they didn't understand why.

"Dee...Dee? Dayo, what is the matter with you?" Michael asked.

"Yes, you are making us very nervous right now. Is the place safe? Should we go?" Johnny chipped in.

"Um...guys, I think...I'm in big trouble." he said before looking above their heads towards the staff room door for the umpteeth time. He had managed to rearrange his desk to face the door from afar and back the glass window overlooking the banking hall below. He checked both the door and the banking hall below from above.

He reminded Johnny of the hens in their area. Nervously clucking and constantly checking their front and their rear as they tread carefully because of the Taiwo twins who were notorious chicken-napers but were quite useless at everything else.

"Spill it man, you're driving me nuts here!" Johnny snapped at him.

"I erm...I may have done something I shouldn't have." he said.

"What?" Johnny said "Talk now." He snapped at Dayo. He was starting to talk in his ghetto mafia voice again. A trait that Michael was noticing he did whenever he was now nervous or tense. He had been spenging too much time with the garage boys.

"Calm down, Johnny. Dayo, what...did...you...do?" he said calmly.

"I..er...I.."

"Yes, go on."

"Please don't blame me for this. I don't like it when you blame me for things. I did it not to cause trouble but to actually help someone. You see? I meant well. I wasn't being disconnected like you always accuse me of."

"I don't always accuse of that."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I said you act like a robot with no human feelings."

"That's even worse!"

"Well, you do! You have always been a little disconnected. Acting like you don't understand basic humans feelings but ever since high school ended and Onos travelled it got worse."

"Why'd have to bring him, into this?"

"What are you two talking about?"

That shut them up for a bit before Michael finally said;

"Dayo, just start at the begining please."

He took a deep breath and started.

"A few weeks ago this old lady came into the bank because her granddaughter told her that her husband's money might be at this bank. But being illiterate and all she didn't know how to prove it, she only had an old reciept with no proof."

"She was turned away because she didn't have the full information to access the money such as next-of-kin and such. But get this, she was turned away not because there was any doubt that about her identity, it was merely because of what she didn't know. Her husband was an illiterate too but he had the investment IQ of a genius because as of now. He had left her with shares, stocks as well as cash that was well over eight million naira. She is living in penury only because she didn't know she was a rich woman and the bank didn't feel obligated to help with this information in any way even though she was about to be evicted from the house she is living by her inlaws. The house which basically belongs to her."

Both Michael and Johnny were stunned at this information with only Johnny saying;

"Okay, so what happened."

"So, I sort of...maybe...snuck into the banks data vault and got the information for her."

"WHAT!?" Michael gasped.

"That's good, right? The lazy bankers didn't want to help her so he did."

"No, Johnny banks do n't work that way. Any opportunity they get to withold your money they take it. Especially, if it is a large sum of wealth like eight million!"

"SHHH!" Dayo shushed him because Michael was almost shouting at this point.

"Sorry, sorry. So you gave her the details but you did it discreetly, right? No one else knows about it, right?"

"No, but some guys here already suspect me."

"Of course, they do. Why wouldn't they? With your I-don't-care-attitude all the time." Michael chastised.

"Now, you're just blaming me. You're supposed to be supportive."

"I am supportive. I'm just saying that if you had been a regular team player instead of going carefree about everything and everybody, maybe they wouldn't suspect you."

"But hold on, brother. It's just suspicion, right? It's not like they have proof and it's not they can arrest him for help a customer right?"

"Yeah, they can Johnny. He hacked into a secure data vault without permission and provided unauthorized information to a third party. And that's just two of the offences that I can come up with. They have lawyers that can balloon it up to twenty offences."

Dayo saw how Michael was getting worked up and reluctantly told them the worst part.

"Um...there's actually something else."

"What do you mean, there's something else?"

"Well, that money along with others were being witheld and monitored by people in...let's say high places."

"Ehn?" Johnny gasped and Dayo struggled to continue.

"Yes, and about three weeks back some soldiers were sent to this branch to find out how the information about the money got out."

"Oh my God." Michael sighed.

"I'm sorry." Dayo whimpered.

"OH MY GOD!" Michael screamed

"SOLDIERS!?" Johnny screamed. He had been thinking worst case scenario the police would be involved and Dayo mady be arrested. He would then beg Capo to intercede which he was confident would solve the whole situation. But with soldiers, he knew that even Capo hated to face them. Nigerian soldiers were like crazy zombies when it comes to following orders. They hated to be bribed by civilians and they especially hated mafias. Capo used to warn his boys to steer clear of buses that had soldiers as escorts inside them. Policemen escorts were nothing though.

"WELL? Did anybody say anything to the soldiers when they came?" Michael asked fearing for his bestfriend.

"No, Santa Claus...I mean our manager risked his neck and sent them away."

"Really?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I was so afraid I peed my pants. If the soldiers had stayed to interrogate anyone, someone was bound to drop my name and I would have be arrested by the soldiers."

"Yeah, if you were lucky. My guess is that you would be dead by now." Johnny said.

"JOHNNY!?" Michael yelled surprised.

"What? It's true!"

"Your friend doesn't look like he can survive a kick to the nuts and those soldiers just love to kick people in sensitive places."

"Oh, I'm dead." Dayo reaching to grab his tender balls.

"Johnny, be quiet. You're not helping. And Dayo calm down. You said that your manager stopped the workers from saying anything so maybe nobody knows anything for sure. Maybe this will all just blow over in time."

Dayo looked Michael straight in the eyes, nervously.

"What?"

"My manager knows."

"What? How?"

"He figured it out I guess. I almost ran out, never to return to this bank again but he warned me to keep calm and not to say anything to anybody, act normal and pretend that everything is okay."

"That's good, right? It means that he's on your side too."

"I guess so." Dayo said still not sure why his manager would be protecting him like this. He was disrespectful to the man so many times already that he had lost count.

"Yeah, but I don't think that you're acting normal though. You were acting downright very suspicious when we got here and you still are." Johnny said.

"Sorry, it's just that when the cleaner said that two guys were looking for me, I thought it was the soldiers back again."

"Well, relax. Nobody is coming back for you because they only two people in this bank who know about this are keeping it a secret and as long as it stays a secret, you will be fine." said Michael.

"You really think so?"

"Yes! Of course!"

Dayo started to cheer and relax a bit until the cleaner came in through the staff door.

"Excuse me, sir. Mr Dayo. One old woman is downstairs looking for you. "

As the cleaner left Dayo, very slowly turned around to look downstairs into the banking hall and prayed that it wasn't her.

When he turned back to face Michael and Johnny, he face had sunken.

"What's wrong?" Michael asked.

"She's waiting for me downstairs."

"Who?"

"Mrs Aiyedade. The old lady that I got into this mess by helping."

interesting

Amazing story. Just started it yesterday..pls more episodes. Thank you

Thanks guys glad to have you here.

Dayo is in for a serious hit. Thanks for the update.

The woman may end up favoring him o...never can tell sha

Infinite Love 79

Fear & Pride

Dayo along with Johnny and Michael looked down in despair at the old lady on ground floor seated in the reception area and looking round for someone that must obviously be Dayo.

She was looking better. Much better. For that he was glad, despite the circumstances. All his intentions were initially to make her feel better and she did from a distant observation. She still sat up as straight as she could with dignity despite the slight bent that comes with age. She had on new clothes, not so much new but less faded like the one she had one when last she came but most of all. She had the radiant look of someone refreshed. It was no surprising considering that she had inherited N8 million naira worth of assets as well qs a house accumulated by her late husband. That kind of money was sure to rid anyone of whatever financial problems they had. And in that moment seeing Mrs Aiyedade looking well and full of life, he had no regrets, his back straightened up and his heart filled with pride. He would do it again, if he had the chance.

"So that's Mrs Aiyedade, right?" Michael pointed out.

"Yes." He said simply.

"Wow. So that old lady is worth eight million?"

"Yes."

"Wow. Do you think she would adopt me if I begged her?"

"Johnny! This is serious." Michael said and turned to Dayo.

"So, what are you...going to do?"

After a brief pause he finally said. "I'm going down there to greet her."

"What...really?"

"Are you sure?"

He shrugged and said "Yeah."

"Okay." And they watched him calmly walk downstairs. Michael couldn't help but feel proud of his bestfriend while Johnny couldn't believe a common banker could also be as tough as an agbero.

"Wow. Brother I have mad respect for your friend o."

Michael sighed feeling proud and scared at the same time for his bestfriend: "I just hope he comes out of this in one piece."

Thanks for the update thought it's short.

Great story @adeabdul2 please more updates and lengthy too. please don't drag the story for too long