I scuffed and rose from the bed. He didn't have the right to go that harsh with his words, but he was being harsh for a purpose. Who would vomit a morsel scooped into his mouth by good fortune and accept crap?
"You should have told me you wanted to have something rough, I am rough enough to make the club itself something that suits you and people of our class." He yapped on.
I returned to my study table and sat on my seat, while I listened to his endless words.
"Your father won't be glad to hear such." He uttered.
"My father isn't a partisan, neither is he a politician, Honorable, leave him out of this," I replied.
He paused. He knew me well; I couldn't just fold my hands and watch him draw my father's name into a conversation that was meant to be between me and him and nothing more.
"My apologies, Sita, but I wasn't happy to be told you clubbed with people who didn't know your class and potential." He said on the phone. "Look, I have a small party at my place, a lot of influential persons would be there, and trust me, I would like to have you there, too."
Yapi, everything about him was partying with what should be invested in helping the poor. He throws lavish parties and wastes everything, and he wants me to be part of it all.
I thought of declining it instantly, but I had a rethink. What purpose do I serve in society if not to hug men like Yapi and expose their ills in the end?
"Do you mind if I send you an invitation?" he asked.
"Honorable, you know I won't reject your invitation, but I won't come alone." I rose and made it to the window.
He chuckled. Maybe he's wondering whom I would like to bring to his party. Maybe my driver and my handmaiden, or the gardener who hardly speaks to me.
"Who do you want to bring to a classified party such as mine, Sita?" he asked.
I swallowed and cleared my throat almost at the same time. "A charity organization wants to embark on free health service outreach in the most remote areas of our country."
He paused. He didn't say a word, because he knew already that speaking of charity meant I was up to no other thing but running a fundraising session in his so-called party.
"Are you there?" I raised a brow. "I want to bring the charity team to your party; they need the support of those who have access to the treasury of the state".
He chuckled and chuckled, and laughed, but when his laughter went longer than it should be, he began to cough the second time. Who knows what has come up on him? Maybe the long-term curses the poor have so far laid on him for ignoring his duty and lavishing public funds have pressed down on him.
"I understand you always need support for the philanthropy part of you, but trust me, we were summoning you because we want you to do no other thing but to join our party.
I nodded my head as though he was there in my room to see me nodding my head to his words. I knew he wanted me to join their party, but I wouldn't go fast with that, they knew.
"I understand, but the party would be of use to me, for me to be of use to them," I replied.
"You saw the beautiful life we live. You can get anything you need if you just leave the sun and join the moon." He stated. "Only then can you bring the so-called charity to be sponsored.
"Okay, sir, but I still need time to think about it," I said in response.
"Okay, have a nice day." He went off from the call.
I sighed. Yapi needs me that badly, but the problem I have now is what he showed off last night, which was one of his aims for wanting me to be at his side, in his so-called party.
I dialed Baba's number, but a knock came on the door of my room. I turned to the door but ignored it for the phone, but on turning to my phone, I saw the call had been declined.
"Come in." I hollered.
The door handle moved but the door remained closed. I forgot I had locked it earlier to keep my domestic staff from badging in at me while I was busy in my room.
"Oh, give me a minute." I made for the general's phone, and like a common thief, I hid it under my bed and returned to the door.
"Who is there?"
"It's me." Came Baba's voice. He was here already. I opened the door and he badged in horridly. "Welcome, Baba."
He drew the seat near my study table and sat on it. "You called last night and claimed you have something that might lead us to the secret base."
I nodded and ambled towards the bed to get what I hid there, the general's phone. "I was in their midst last night."
I fished the phone out from under the bed and walked over to him while he watched. I passed him the phone. I hadn't bothered to turn it on and check it out this morning, by the way, it hadn't been long since I woke from my lengthened slumber.
"You got this from the general?" he asked.
"Sure, from his pocket." I took a snack on the platter on my desk.
"This will surely lead to something." He stood up. "I've done my best teaching a couple of classified agents on handling military oppositions in combat."
***