Bimbo blushed.

"So for real, you mean you'd be going to the Bahamas for a five-day vacation, just like that?" Amanda dropped a glass of wine after a sip.

"Careful there," Bimbo shifted the Stout bottle to make more space for the glass on the table. They both had gone to a cafeteria.

"Like, I'm just baffled. I never expected him to show me this kinda love and attention btw. He just told me, ' Bimbo, get ready for a big trip to a dream world' I was shocked. This would be my first time ever traveling out of the country. I can't wait babyyyy."

"Awwww, and who's this guy in question. I hope Chief treats me the way this guy does to you." She sipped from her fizzed drink.

"Stop kidding me jor, Chief would surely treat you better. Chief is like a sugar daddy. He's looking for a chic to spend his maany on. Isn't he treating you good?"

"Uhmm, not even the financial part now. That old man is boring. He doesn't know how to treat a girl to dates. It isn't about money money, no interesting hangouts, movie dates, stuff like that. He can't even keep up a good convo, just talk trash that pisses me off. Just imagine, your man wants to fly you out, he's never gonna think of that. He just rides me like I'm his sex-machine. This is not what relationship is all about and again, this man is old enough to be my father. I think I'm gonna opt out of the relationship, it's just the money that's keeping stuck in it."

"Heyyy, babe calm.

Waiter!, got you there a combo of different seafoods in your menu?"

A fair-complexioned lady in an apron and chef hat walked up to the girls.

"Yes ma'am, we've got prawns, shrimps, oysters and sushi on today's menu. What would you love to order?" She spoke like an A-grade customer service attendant in the UK.

"Let's have sushi, Amanda right?"

"Uhm, it's okay. Whatever, food isn't really for me right now" she replied absent-mindedly. She was lost in her thoughts.

"Okay sushi," Bimbo feigned a smile, the waiter smiled off as she returned to carry out the order.

"Babe, can you tell me what is wrong with you? Why are you just so insatiable? If Chief is the problem you get a young guy of your spec. You keep extorting money from Prof Anni and in the same time be playing your games. This isn't a thing worth brooding about girrrrl" She thrust out her hands and held Amanda's. She looked into her eyes passionately.

"There's no turning back girl. No backing off..." She said with a low tone.

"Did Chief send you to me?" Amanda questioned as she slowly lifted her head, gradually fuming.

"Yes, but Is that really important?"

" 'Is that really important?' That's all you got to say? No wonder the sudden display of approval. I thought about this. You never really liked me from the very scratch. It was all because I changed and capitulated to the pressure from you guys, so everything here is mere pretense. Did he pay you to speak to me on his behalf?"

"Hey hey, calm. We are in public. We can talk this out for real without raising pitches" she tried to calm her.

"I'm in all ears"

"Here's your order..." The waiter mounted a big platter of different dishes on the table. Amanda observed her with disgust as she served. Bimbo counted some cash an paid her off.

"Keep the change," Bimbo smiled after seeing the waiter discovered an excess amount.

" Ayyy, thank you so much ma. We are elated to have you around. Thank you for patronizing us" The waiter replied, slightly bending her knees in gratitude.

"Don't mention, I've had this soft spot on you since I saw you earlier. Must say, you are really beautiful," She complemented.

"Thanks ma'am, I'm humbled by your kind complements" she walked off to resume her duties.

"You forgot to ask for her name and number, I guess?" Amanda sneered. ".. So you could also initiate her like you did to me."

"Oh Amanda, you are in the game, you are in the game! Whether you were initiated, indoctrinated or forced it doesn't change the fact that you are already in the game." She cleared her throat and began to dig her teeth into the meal.

"I hope you didn't forget what Baba told us? No betrayal. Let it end there" Bimbo added.

Amanda brightened up, she was decided. She joined in the eating.

"Well, that's true. I'm in the game, I'm in the game" Amanda laughed.

" Hehehe, that's what I was telling you. By the way, have you done what Baba said you should do?"

"What's that?"

"You know there's danger in hesitation. Have you forgotten he gave you something to rub on your private part and have a man to sleep with you? Have you done that?"

" Opps, I haven't. I almost forgot. Besides, what man could I possibly use? I've used Chief already. I'm pretty kinda careful cos he said that the man used would loose his glory to our coven."

"And how is that your business? Is it your glory? Better be fast you. There are so many sex maniacs out there, find one and be swift as a eagle." Bimbo said with some food in her mouth.

"I've totally derailed" Amanda thought.

"I that always prayed against the wiles of the devil have now become his servant, hunting men down for him."

She smirked at the vanities of the riches around her. She had finally gotten her once coveted lusts. The phones she desired, jewelry, exotic lifestyle and everything she wanted was at her command but she had no satisfaction.

"Hey girl are you alive?" Bimbo tapped her.

She shrugged, trying to pull from her subconsciousness.

" Yeah, yeah. That shouldn't be a p. I'd eventually get the guy" she giggled.

"Okay, let me show you my man. The guy that wants to take me for the trip. I met him some months ago, he introduced himself to me as Ifekwe Solomon, he's married tho." She brought out her iPad from her tote and scrolled through the gallery.

" Gatcha, here is it," she smiled. It was a picture of Solomon in a suit, posing behind a company gate. She stretched out the iPad to Amanda.

"Whaaaaaat!" She exclaimed. she almost threw up the food in her mouth, she shifted the dish aside.

"This man here is my immediate sister's husband. No wonder... My sister had been complaining lately of her husband denying her of quality attention. She suspected he's having an extramarital affair, meaning you are the one behind my sister's broken home. I wouldn't watch you get away with this. You'd have to leave this man" she slammed the table.

"Excuse me... What are you talking about!" Bimbo asked, she was pissed off.

"You heard me right! I am well related to the man here. He's like a brother to me. You know what this means? I wouldn't watch you truncate his life. He's my sister's husband!"

"Did you remember what Baba told you? Or should I remind you?"

**

The trio (Amanda, Shade and Bimbo) had earlier gone to meet an occultist.

Baba scratched his gray hair as he stepped out of his shady hut. He gagged a local wood toothstick in his mouth and held a basin filled with water, he hung a rough piece of cloth that looked like a rag across his shoulder.

"Hahaa, my shiidrenn.." baba greeted upon sighting the three friends.

"Ekaro baba (Good morning baba)" Shade and Bimbo slightly bent their knees displaying a cultural gesture of respect. Amanda stood aback, she bowed her head and faked a smile. The man seemed like an oddball to her.

"Haba, stand up. My wonderful children. I'm seeing a new face here. Besides, what has the lion come to do in the dog's kennel at an odd hour in the morning? I hope no problem. Is any of your male clients giving you problems?" he dropped the basin and briskly walked to get a bench for his guests.

Bimbo laughed at Baba. "We are fine Baba. Not at all. We are here with a new fish, and we want you to fortify her..and"

"Hey hey hey" He cut in.

"Let's hear from the horse's mouth. What is your name young lady?" Baba asked. He dragged the bench to the wall to enable a comfortable sit. "Sit down my ladies"

"I'm Amanda sir"

"Haqhaqhaq, that name sounds churchy" Baba laughed as he chew the wood.

"So what are you doing here? Have your friends told you everything you need to know?"

"Hmmm yes sir" she managed to reply. She kept blinking her eyes fearfully, eaving continuous sighs. She tried to put herself together but she just couldn't.

"I don't think this one is ready, see how she is shivering like a sheep about to be slaughtered." Baba stood up in an attempt to leave. "Come when you are prepared".. he held his knee, about to rise up from his seat.

"Haa.. Baba. Baba, please Baba" the girls quickly rose up to stop baba from leaving.

"I don't have my time to waste. Are you ready to get into this?" he asked Amanda with a frank stare.

"Yes sir" she replied.

"Are you promising never to back off, never to betray the oaths, regard them with discretion and not to involve a third party into this?"

"Yes sir, I promise."

" Good, then follow me in". He looked at Bimbo and Folashade and chuckled. "You girls should wait outside"

"Okay baba," they smiled and said few of his eulogies.

Amanda kept following as she was trembling in the fear of uncertainty. She had cold feet. She wished she could back off, but it was late. The old man bolted the door.

"Put your mind at rest kid. I am Baba Aniyikaye 1. The mighty one whom the deity sings his praises. I said put your mind at rest! Is it money? It is with my mothers (His idols), is it influence? It's with my mothers. Wealth? Success? Fame? Name it! whatever. THE GLORIES OF THE EARTH HAS BEEN DELIVERED UNTO ME. I GIVE IT TO WHOMEVER I PLEASE. Did you know many of these your popular icons come to get thier influence from me? Many of the popular people you cheer on TV got their stardom from here! Your musicians, Actors and actresses, politicians, business tycoons, sportmen, writers and even your religious leaders know me. I am the reason they have the greatness they have. hahaha."

Amanda was lost in thoughts. She remembered what the fetish priest said was related to what the devil said while tempting Jesus in Luke 4:6 but she was on a point of no return. She had set her hands on the plough and she must never look back. Her lusts gave her enough courage and confidence to proceed after she silenced the still small voice telling her to flee.

"Yes, baba continue."

The priest did a lot of enchantments and uttered some incantations. He brought out a gourd tied with a piece of red cloth on it. "Have this. Now listen to the following instructions. You should rub this on your kpekus any time you want want to have copulations with men. Ask your friends for the meaning of kpekus. The wealth you'd keep getting is on the basis of how often you copulate with men. The more glorious those men are, the more profitable it becomes for you. You would keep becoming wealthy. They would keep draining their glories and virtues into this coven till they become zero. Once you put your tube on them, they would never get tired of having sex with you. You would be tied to a very strong blood covenant. Bring your hand"

She stretched her left hand to him, he cut her with a razor in a rush.

"Ouch" she reacted to the pain.

"Endure, now rub that gourd with your blood. This shouldn't take much time." He smiled as she followed his instructions.

"Good one, good one. Now note, you must never betray your friends. You must learn to keep quiet and bridle your tongue if peradventure you discover any man they also use, no matter how related he is to you. The three of you are in this together. Obedience is better than sacrifice! The consequences could be bloody!"

Suddenly, a thick black smoke rose from a pot, it clouded upon Amanda and entered into her.

"That's all.. HaHaha!" The fetish priest laughed..

"And so?" Amanda scrunched up her face.

"You think you can scare me with what the Baba said?! I wouldn't take this! Spare my Sister's husband of your misfortune, else...We would both dip our legs into the same trouser and trust me, this would be hot Bimbo!" She threatened.

"Have a good day," she took her purse and bugged out.

**

Selina bowed her head on the office desk between her and her boss, she was remorseful. Mr Goju the CEO of Diamond Communications had called her in.

"Your productivity at work has waned. What is wrong?" Mr Goju asked. He slightly released his tie and pulled off his blazers for some fresh air. The office was quite stuffy.

Selena was speechless, worry was written all over her.

"I've always known you to be one of our best workers in this company. Your work these days has been so incompetent. The data you computated wasn't accurate. Also, the correspondence I told you to write to our insurance brokers wasn't well composed. It wasn't even official. Do you know how much millions we are talking about here Mrs Selena?"

A corporately dressed lady entered the office.

"Good morning sir"

"Good morning receptionist, how may I help you?" He asked sharply, adjusting his specs.

The electrical power was restored, he rose from his seat to switch on the air conditioner.

"A man from Alimi and Sons requested to see you. He's downstairs at the reception."

"I would join in a jiffy, wanna sort some things out."

"Okay sir," she replied and bolted the door behind her.

"You haven't answered my question Selina." He said with a grin, expectant of an answer.

" My marriage is aching" she muttered remorsefully.

" Can you tell me about it?"

"It was all my fault" she bursted in tears.

"Easy easy, take it easy." He consoled her.

"I opened my eyes and watched my marriage crumble," She added.

"Can you be more explicit?" Mr Goju asked. She wiped her tears with the elm of her denim jacket.

"It all started happy happy," she began.

"He pays attention to me no longer. I believe he has started having an extra-marital affair, and if I can catch that 'BIMBO' girl!" She cried.

"I'm confused" Mr Goju said, his face confirmed it.

"I saw it on his cell phone. Yes 'BIMBO WIFEY', he saved the contact with a love emoji. No wonder he doesn't care about me any longer. I regret my actions, he was a good man." Tears shimmered in her eyes.

"Sincerely, if I say I understand jack from what you said, I'd be lying. Let me try to get this, do you mean your husband is cheating on you?"

"Yes, I even saw two passport cards in his briefcase sometimes last week. I thought he was probably planning a surprise trip with me, lo and behold, I saw another lady's details and photograph attached to the passport. I guess he's planning to elope with her, I was heartbroken. I wanted to rip off the passports that moment, but I decided to be led by wisdom" she lamented.

"That would have been a big mistake on your part. Thank God you were wise. This is what many young couples are ignorant of, you can never correct a wrong with wrong. You can never quench fire with fuel. No!

Many marriages have broken up because of 'little foxes that spoiled the vine', very little and insignificant reasons! My aunt's fiance broke up with her because he saw her hugging a man who happened to be her cousin. He concluded that she was flirting with him and even called her a slot! One thing led to another during the intensed argument and the guy slapped her, he assulted her and traumatized her all because of a misunderstanding. Now, my question is; do you know who this supposed lady is?" He folded his arms and frankly stared at her.

Selina heaved heavily. "I don't actually. I think I would make findings about that."

"Please do.." He stacked up some files, arranging them.

"And put your marriage together, marriage first then comes work. I will give you a two-week break from work. You are not in the proper mind frame for all these. You'd keep typing rubbish and working inaccurately if you don't put yourself together, and this could be costly. I believe you would come out stronger" He stretched his hand for a handshake.

"Thank you so much sir, my gratitude for your concern is infinite."

"Oh dear, it's fine. Give this ledger to the secretary. You can also give the mail correspondence to him, let him do the work. I would arrange for a replacement pending the time you would be off. Please put yourself together Mrs. Selena. Lastly, don't for any reason raise your voice at your husband. I believe all would be well."