Yeah, I just came but I have to go back to manage my business" I lied while she looked at me and nodded. " Will you stay for six years again?" She asked twisting her mouth again in that cute manner. " Nope, I ain't staying up to a year but I won't come anytime soon" I said , I knew the mission was going to take months even if Sir Ajan had said it just weeks. " Please dont stay long " She said again . " Why? Is there anything you want to do with me in the village?" I asked her playfully even if she wasn't in a playing mood. " Hmmm, yes, so that you can always help me carry my water pot every morning" She said trying to laugh. " You are so funny, anyways I won't be staying long" I said while she nodded, she was about going when she turned back again. " Will you come to the stream tomorrow? " She asked while I shook my head the negative. " Why?" She asked again. " Because you might think am coming to the stream cause of you, am ain't tapping wine tomorrow" I replied while she looked at me angrily. " Okay" She said and walked away in a sad mood, I shook my head smiling as I also walked into the compound only to meet my mom staring at me from a distance, I walked to where she was. " She is a good girl" My mom started while I nodded. " Aren't you thinking of marrying her?" My mom asked again but I didn't reply. "My son, A ripe orange isn't only ripe in the eye of a single person, some are also planning on how to get it" My mom said, I understood what she meant but she didn't realize that " A tree does not harbour only an Orange, it is full of Oranges and once one is plucked there are others still left". " Mom, I will be going to the city in two days time" I said to her as I wanted to change the discussion. " Why!! you came about two days or so " She shouted. " I want to go manage my business" I said again. " My son, Business can wait, you aren't leaving yet. So after six years, you wanna leave again" She shouted as she walked away, women just like to shout, truly Empty barrel make the loudest noise.
• I lied on my bed that evening thinking about my going back to the city, what so ever the mission might be, i pray it be an easy one. I was still in my thought when I heard my phone beeping. " Hi, Christiana, how are you doing?" I asked immediately I picked the call. " Dont greet me o, imagine, since you left camp, you have never called to say hi until I called today" She said over the phone. " Hey, I just left about three days ago and you are already missing me? That's good to know" I said again. " Am ain't missing you, its Just bad of you to have forgotten about me this soon, you couldn't even call to check on me" She said again, I know Christiana, she can continue to drag the case until you apologize, just tell her you are sorry and thats all. " Okay Christy, am so much sorry" I said calmly. " Okay, I wasn't angry. When are you coming back here, I am already here, Sir Ajan called that he had a mission for us" She said again. " Yeah, but he just called me today and I am preparing to come over the day after Tomorrow" I said again. " Oh, I will be expecting you and by the way, how is Atata?" She asked again. " Atata is fine, how is Enugu? " I asked back. " Fool, am not in Enugu, I am in Newriton, Lagos State" She said laughing. " Dont mind my age" I said back. " Okay Gabriel, I should wake up the day after tomorrow and meet you beside me" She said again while I concurred. We talked about other irrelevant stuff before disconnecting the call, she actually disconnected it. This is one bad thing about spy stuff, no time to rest, no time for yourself and family, it so bad.
• The morning was cold, the gentle breeze made from the rustling of the tall mango tree in which I was on top blew across my chest. Yes I was on a Mango tree that morning, on a mango tree by the stream. I had not come to tap wine that morning, who taps wine from a Mango tree? I had come to see Adanna as I knew she would always come to fetch water. I sat on a branch on the tree and watched closely but no one was forthcoming. I was putting on a white top on a black jeans trousers, I did not want to dress locally like the men of Atata on this particular day. There wasn't any reason behind this, it was just how I choose to dress today, and more over, I am a guy from the city. I didn't have to wait much longer, I soon sighted Adanna with her water pot from a distant, but this time, she wasn't alone, Mbe the cat whose back has never touched the ground in any fight was running after her while Adanna was trying her best to get him off her side. Adanna was looking beautiful as usual, her water pot was under her hand and she was dress in the dress code of the maidens of Atata, tying a wrapper to cover her breast and another her waist. " Adanna just give me a chance, I promise to take good care of you." I heard Mbe said as Adanna stood under the mango tree on which I was on the top. " Mbe, it isn't about you taking good care of me it is about what I want, and whom I want, I'm sorry I don't want you" Adanna said not minding that she was standing before the great cat whose back has never touched the ground in any fight. " oh joy is it because of that low life? He is nothing compared to me, I'm Mbe, the great wrestler. Is it because I haven't gone to the city like him?" Mbe asked again, this time he was dragging her hands like he wanted to beat her up. " Please let me go" Adanna begged but he didn't release her, I wanted to jump down from the tree but I later decided against it. " See, I am more courageous, Strong and Braver than that lowlife of a guy you are falling for. If not for that other guy that came back from the city some years back, Alvana, I should have beaten up your so called Gabriel the other day" Mbe said again as he released Joy's hand forcefully and she fell to the floor, thank God her water pot didn't break this time. " You must be mine" Mbe said dragging her up and releasing her to the ground again, this time Adanna was moved to tears. " You say you love me and you are treating me this way" She said as she tried not to let her tears drop." You won't be treated this way if you can say a yes to me" Mbe said laughing wickedly. " Never" Adanna shouted, that reply must have been a mistake as it got Mbe pissed up and thus making him hit her water pot angrily, the pot broke into pieces and Adanna bursted out in tears, at that time, not Mbe alone was pissed off, I was also pissed off as I Jumped down from the tree angrily, I landed on my feet facing Mbe who was shocked and surprised on seeing me.