Chapter 8: Get TOGETHER

Chapter 8: Get together

It has not been so easy with ikenna and his job. He has been busy travelling from one country to another in the quest of accomplishing some missions which he has been meticulously travailing through.

One afternoon. He got an invitation from Mr.henderson to his house and without sparing any time he arrived at his house.

Mr.henderson was already seated on one of his couches situated in his living room which almost formed a semicircle.

"Hey who do i have here, Edward. Come and sit please. I thought you might never have a chance to come over due to the nature of your work. I know what it feels like for someone in your position to have a chance for anything but am glad you disappointed my doubt ".

"Haha, it's nothing compared to what you have been doing for me all these years. You have shown me love which no one could show me. You are the reason I am still coping despite all the cataclysmic events that transpired in my past. What else could I do in order to show my sincere appreciation if not by any means creating a chance for us to talk heart to heart sir. I can't appreciate you enough ".

"Am touched by your words, I never believed that an African man could be so humble and loyal like this. Am thrilled by your humility, ever since I took you in, you have never let my expectations down. Because of this, I swear this day never to let you down, even if it cost selling all my assets to sponsor you, I swear that will be my greatest achievement on earth".

Ikenna almost shed tears when the man was pouring his heart to him but he held himself.

"Sir,,, I am really grateful, thanks ".

"The reason I sent for you is nothing much, than to let you know that I have been appointed by my people to attend an international conference which will be held in Nigeria. I will appreciate it if you will accompany me there. I want you to use this opportunity to learn some ethics of this job and how to represent your country in any place you find yourself in future. Who knows, you might be appointed to my position in the nearest future if I am found wanting ".

"Thanks sir for always having me in your thoughts. There is not much talk in what I see here, just tell me the date of the event and I will remind you of it later ".

"The date they fixed for the meeting is the 24th of this month but it will be wise if we take off by the 22nd in order to meet you. What do you have to say?"

"That's a pretty good idea, 22nd will be great sir".

"Thanks Edward, for honouring my request ".

"It's not a big deal sir".

A week later. The hall was decorated with ribbons, flowers and balloons which were floating in the air. A table for three with glasses and wine and a chilled table water were placed respectively on each table.

It was indeed a shimmery work of art to behold. Mr.henderson along with ikenna were already seated presently at the venue watching the series of entertainment and as well waiting for the meeting to start officially.

There were many entertainers who were invited to perform but one particular group thrilled everyone with their songs. They unintentionally change the atmosphere into a mirthful but stilted emotion. They practically take turns in singing each line, but one of them really captured Ikenna with her voice when she was citing her line. It was so contagious that Ikenna nearly shed tears like a baby he is not.

When the whole entertainment was over, Mr.Henderson along with other directors headed over to the meeting room, while Ikenna was told to wait behind. He took that chance without hesitation and decided to approach the lady whose voice alone melted his heart .

"Hi pretty damsel, can i have a chat with you?"

"No. Sorry sir, am not that type that goes about chatting with some stranger".

"Forgive me if i have approached you wrongly, but please lend me a little of your time i promise not to waste it please".

"It's alright. Am here now, what's that you wanted us to talk about? She blurted.

"Hmmm". He cleared his larynx. " If you don't mind, I must say that you have a charming voice. I almost shed tears when you were singing your lines up there with your group. It was so emotional".

"Aww". She was practically grinning from ear to ear. "You sure have your ways with words, I must say thanks".

"You are welcome. My bad, I didn't introduce myself appropriately. Please pardon me. My name is Ikenna, I am an embassy from the United States came along with my boss down here for this conference. I am actually working there as an American Centre Intelligence Agency (ACIA)".

"Am Chinenye, i and my music group were invited here to perform, that's why i'm here".

"Ohh really!" Ikenna exclaimed. "Nice to meeting you"

"It's my pleasure" both exchanged handshakes.

"But how come you work at ACIA. When you are an indigene here in Nigeria?".

"Hahaha, it's a long story dear. You might not be interested to hear it and I don't wanna bore you with my past".

"Not interested you said? Come on, I am in my best mood today. I doubt if anything can change it".

"Hahaha, it's not like that. My story is not quite interesting".

"In Fact i insist, tell me, after all, the meeting is still going to last for one hour, so tell me".

"It's alright, since you insist".

"It all happened twenty years ago....."

******

Before he could summarise the whole narration, Chinenye was already crying helplessly as she found out that the young man seated before her was her long lost brother whom she thought might have died.

Ikenna seeing the young lady crying helplessly couldn't help but to pause for a moment to ascertain the sudden change of her mood.

"Hey pretty, why are you crying? What's the problem? Did I in any way say something or remind you of things you don't wanna remember again? Please open up to me".

"You are, Ikenna Chibuokem?" She asked intuitively.

"Yes that's my name, but how did you know my surname because I never made mention of it before?"

"You told Obinna and I to wait at the train station by the end of the month, and we waited for you, yet, you couldn't show up".

Without any further explanation, he didn't need any soothsayer to tell him that was his long missing sister.

"Chinenye, my only sister, is so foolish not to recognize you on time. Am so sorry for all the pains I have cost you, leaving you at that tender age was the greatest mistake of my life, it wasn't intentional, I was trying to protect you from the hands of those assassins".

"It's ok brother, it's not your fault that such catastrophe surfaced in our lives."

They were weeping with dignified silence, in order not to draw the attention of people around.

After both had resolved each other, the meeting was already over and both went their separate ways.

"Edward, I have never seen you in this good spirit before. What's the secret".

"Sir, you're right. The lady you saw me chatting with earlier is actually my sister,the one that I lost along with my brother twenty years ago".

"Are you serious? You mean she's the one you lost back then with your brother too?

"Absolutely sir. At first I didn't recognize her, but after we engaged in more serious talk about ourselves, we both realised that we were siblings".

"For real. What a miracle. You should have told me earlier so that i can meet her. What if she knows the whereabouts of your brother as well".

"You are right sir, i forgot to ask her about it but i collected numbers so that wouldn't be a problem".

"Well that's good. This calls for celebration. I will give you today and tomorrow to talk things out with her through the phone and let me know when you guys will be getting together".

"Thanks sir. Am so grateful, I will not fail to inform you".

Three days passed. Even from a long way off, one could feel the pulsating beat of the music playing in the background. Indeed the music was so alluring, it was a perfect song for such special gatherings. Mr.henderson, Ikenna, Obinna and Chinenye seated on a couch situated in the bar which formed a semicircle against the wall.

Nevermind the sound of the music playing, the silence existing in their midst was louder than the music.at last the silence was broken by Ikenna.

"I am so grateful to God who kept us alive till date. During our turbulent times, it seemed as if there was no light at the end of our tunnels. But God almighty made the impossibility possible".

"Bro, you are right. I now believe the saying that says "the darkest hour is just before dawn" ".

"Bro, so you are now a citizen of America by registration". Chinenye implies.

"Hahaha, you are not far from the fact. I earned it by award not registration".

"Obinna, I heard that you are now a detective officer. I thought you were aiming to become an engineer just like our late father, what changed?" Ikenna asked.

"Yeah bro, as you can see. You know,there is a saying that says " Change is the only constant thing in life". So after that predicament that befell us, I decided to change with change."

They all laughed.

"Bro Ikenna, do you know that if it weren't bro Obinna, i would have been long dead".

"What! Ikenna asked curiously. How? "

"He saved my life when I was kidnapped".

"Ohh my God. So all these happened in my absence?". Ikenna asked.

"Well all thanks to God, he is indeed the God of the needy and poor". Chinenye testified.

"Thank God for Mr.henderson, whom God used because of his good heart, cared for all my needs till date. Infact if not for him, that murderer that killed our parents wouldn't have been imprisoned".

"You mean ,mr.jude has been jailed?" Obinna asked

"How many years bro?" Chinenye intrude

"He was sentenced to life in jail". Ikenna answered.

"Yes! That's served him right. But I wish more severe punishment would be added to him". Obinna said angrily.

"Honestly I must confess, I envy you guys. You guys have proven to the world that one can really overcome any circumstances life brings, it doesn't matter how it happens but with diligence and hope in God, one will surely survive and prosper".