“You are welcome my dear,” he crooned and pulled his chair closer to hers.
“Thank you Chief Okrika.” She smiled stiffly and sat down.
“No need to call me the full name. I prefer Chief; that‘s what friends call me.” Chief Okrika wore a cream colored agbada and adjusted it between his legs as he sat down.
“No problem sir,” she assented, “but what of Mrs. Okrika?”
“Oh, she wasn‘t able to make it. She had a previous engagement, which she couldn‘t break. Hope you are not too disappointed? You don‘t mind?”
“No... I believe we can still achieve something.”
“My sentiments exactly,” Chief remarked.
“I hope you‘ll bear with me; I can only stay for drinks. I have somewhere else to go to after this…”
“Of course, that is OK. Let‘s waste no time then. What do you want to order?”
“Orange juice will be fine.” Gladys nodded and the waiter soon came over at the wave of a hand from her companion. The drinks were served without delay including the side of grilled gizzards Chief Okrika had ordered. Gladys fiddled with her clutch; it had been sitting on her lap but she placed it on the tabletop. “I don‘t want it to be stained,” she explained in apology.
“I understand. You young girls love your fashion; you can be very fussy.” He laughed as he moved his seat even closer. He sipped his drink and popped a gizzard on a cocktail stick into his mouth. “Have you sorted out your problem with Edward?”
“Chief I‘m still thinking of what to do. You already know that Edward moved out of the house and I have not spoken to him since.” Tears came to her eyes and added some sincerity. She was a better actress than she gave herself credit for.
“So what can I do for you?”
Gladys stared at him for a moment. Ola had predicted this quite correctly. After making her life complicated, he asked what he could do for her. Was he not the one that called? She struggled to bite off the words on her tongue as he placed an arm round her shoulders.
He smirked as he spoke. “My dear girl, I can help you out if you want. Did I not put over fifty million naira in your account?”
“You mean you schemed for me to lose my shares?” Gladys was amazed at the man‘s unconcealed arrogance.