Must Read: The Cartel (18+)

7 years ago

Must Read: The Cartel (18+)

The reaction of Vivienne immediately she saw Jane sitting with them when she joined them for lunch, told her this wasn’t their first meeting.

And from her observation for the next few minutes, she confirmed both girls had already met, knew themselves or had some beef. It started with Vivienne’s brief pause in her earlier statement, to her sudden absentmindedness when orders were being placed, and finally the look she gave Jade after the latter interpreted her French question to her.

Her years as a drug baroness came with the experience and knowledge of the importance of remaining and keeping your cool at difficult and awkward situations in order not to give yourself out. Jade did better than Vivienne in that regard.

So she pretended not to have noticed, kept her cool and continued to engage the better composed Jade, asking her questions about her French and all.

Jama then did the introductions and both girls shook hands with Jane offering Vivienne her hand. Again she saw the look in the latter’s eyes and noticed how she heaved and probably decided to play along with Jane. Their lunch was served and they began to eat while talking about nothing in particular. Jama was more interested in Vivienne and directed most of his comments to her.

Vivienne had finally regained her composure halfway between and was now talking and laughing freely. Meanwhile both girls continued to avoid asking or answering questions that would get them to talk. They spent about 35 minutes in all eating and talking.

Suddenly Jama’s phone rang, he picked the call and got talking when out of the blue Jane asked her in French “Puis-je vous poser la question?” (please can I ask you a question?). It was as if she had been waiting for the right opportunity and eventually got one when Jama was distracted.
“Bien sûr, allez y!” (Certainly, Go ahead). She replied looking at the girl with raised eyebrows.
“Vous promettent d’être honnête, à droite?” (You’ll be honest with me, right?). She asked her
“Vous devez encore à demander” (You still have to ask) She replied being diplomatic
“Quand avez-vous rencontrée?” (When did you meet her?). She then asked calmly while taking a sip from her glass.

There was only one “her” present with them at the moment, and having observed what was going on between both girls, she knew who the “her” meant. For all purposes and intent, she admired how composed Jane remained without betraying her emotions. There was no way one would think she was asking about the next girl seated opposite her. Either way, she too couldn’t keep her thoughts in check and had finally confirmed something was indeed going on between them.
“À peine 24 heures” (Not up to 24 hours?) She replied, as she continued eating. Few seconds later with a mouthful, she asked Jane “Why?” (in English) without looking at her. It was obvious Vivienne was listening, trying to pick whatever she could. So she didn’t want to make the gossip obvious
“Elle est celle” (She’s the one). Jane replied calmly and it took her up to 10 seconds to come to terms with what the girl meant just as Jama dropped the call.
“So where are you going with Vivienne?” She asked Jama, pretending as if the information Jane just shared with her was inconsequential.
“To stroll. Since you said you wouldn’t keep me company because Jane is with you” He replied sounding evasive and putting her on the defensive mode
“You’re not serious. Didn’t I tell you I was going to my family house and you refused to come because Jane was coming with me?” She asked him feigning anger
“It’s been a while you saw each other, I figured it’s best you have time for yourself, so Vivienne was my only option for company”. He replied.
“Anyways. Enjoy yourselves. We’ll just go there, say a quick hi and come back here to lounge by the pool. Hope you got your swim wear with you?” She said and asked Jane
“Who goes about with a swim wear in their handbag?” Jane asked laughingly in reply to her
“Don’t worry, we’ll get one for you” She replied Jane as they all stood up and began to make way out of the restaurant.
“Jane I’ll be with you shortly, lemme grab my bag from the room” She said to her goddaughter. Then to Jama, she called out “Jama, please can I have a moment with you”.
“Sure. Was coming up already” Jama replied her before directing both girls to chill in the reception.

***

Back in the privacy of their room she said to Jama. “I don’t know if you figured this out before now and chose not to tell me, but I think Vivienne and Jane know each other. And I’m afraid Vivienne is the same girl that staged Jane’s kidnapping. Because as a matter of fact, Jade thinks we might have known this and kept it away from her.
“And how did you figure this out?” He asked her surprised
“She told me. Well, I just need you to keep to what you told her already because she’ll definitely probe you for details. I want to handle this myself, but not before hearing the full details from Jane” She said to him as she went about grabbing and arranging her hand bag.
“So what do we do now? I must confess Jane looked so composed all through. I like her for that” He said surprised at how she was able to maintain her cool.

If only they were both aware both girls are already intimate with each other.
“Just give her the god daughter story and leave it like that. I’m not sure how much she’ll want Vivienne to know for now” She said, giving him a brief kiss before heading for the door
“What a story it turned out to be. Her enemy our friend. Please find out all you can before someone gets hurt” He said going towards the wardrobe to get what he wanted.

******

Both girls sat in different couches, pretending to be reading the available magazines when she got back down.
“Alright ladies. It’s time to take our leave Jane.

Moving over to Vivienne who was now standing, she hugged her and gave her two pecks on both cheeks before saying “See you soon sunshine”. Her words and gesture were done and chosen deliberately in other not to make the girl suspect anything.

****

Jane drove her to her brother’s house for a brief stopover and then to her mother’s, where she spent about two hours. During this time, she asked the girl all she wanted to know about Vivienne and the business.

But she had noticed something in her brother’s home. He had kept on looking at Jane in ways that suggested he wasn’t satisfied with her explanation of Jane being her little a friend in Calabar.

But it was the question her mother asked her that made her see what her brother must have seen. When they were about leaving her her mother’s home and with Jane already by her car, her mother called her aside and asked her “Is this my granddaughter Idara?”
“No mama, she’s not the one” She replied in Efik.
“She has his looks but in your body and with your eyes. Same with mine” Her mother replied
“Hahahaha.. She laughed while turning to look at the girl already seated inside her car. Jane had upon hearing her laugh, turned to look at them and managed a broad smile while revealing her gap tooth as their eyes met. She almost fainted when she finally saw what her brother and mom had seen. The smile and gap tooth were unmistakable as she saw a feminine and light skinned version of dark Jama in her. Her heartbeat increased.

Back in the car, she said “You know, we should probably go swimming like I stated earlier at the restaurant. There, we’ll continue and I’ll tell you what I would love you to do. Her main plan was to confirm the presence or absence of the “IMJ” tattoo on her back.
“I don’t swim that much o” She put up a defense
“I’ll teach you. Besides you won’t drown, it’s just 4 or so feets” She insisted
“No bikini with me” Jane replied
“We’ll get it there. Lets go and stop making up excuses.

All the while they had this argument, she kept on looking at Jane in a different light as young Jama kept on showing on her face. Only the tattoo would confirm this and that was what she wanted to see.

****

The first thing they did was stopping over by a boutique to get their swimming gears before heading back to the hotel. Back in the room, she asked the girl to go change up first in the bathroom while she made a call.

Ten minutes later, Jane walks out of the bathroom with a two piece bikini saying “It’s a bit bigger than I thought”
“Come here lemme help fasten your traps” She said not sure of how she would react if the “IMJ” tay was there or not.
But she didn’t have to wait long as the girl walked over to her and turned around. She quickly looked up to were she drew hers and Jama’s initials on her supposed baby’s back. She didn’t know whether she should feel glad or disappointed when she didn’t see any initial.

But there was a beautiful butterfly tattoo up there, and as she tightened the bikini top straps for Jane, she looked closely at the tattoo. It was then she saw that they were some lines which didn’t make sense on the butterfly drawing.

Touching the tattoo and running her hand through it, she commended it saying almost with a teary voice “Your tattoo is beautiful”. She had just seen that it was a very nice job done at covering what was an initially and poorly written words “IMJ”