Few nights to their impromptu visit, my father had gotten a phone call from Mr. President about his intention to visit the villa and quickly he had put a call across to me. Initially when I heard my father’s husky voice, I thought it was about something bizarre that had got to do with his health. But little did I know that it was for the sake of the president’s visit.
I had imagined the enthusiasm that smeared the chin of my father on the others side of the phone ine when he counted it important to seek my permission before letting them visit the villa. He had told me about the intention of Mr. President to visit the villa and I had warned him against t making any monetary involvement with him in my absence.
But Mr. President wouldn’t know that his visit was made possible because I allowed it otherwise father would have declined it if I had disapprove of it.
“let’s know his reason for coming, father but I guess his reason may not be far-fetched form my guess. “ I had sounded. And let those smirk lit my face which shone forth.
And he had demanded from the other side, “And what could that be? Mr. President I know cannot make you his friend if you don’t add money to his life.”
Father could barely believe it when I told him it was because of the loan.
Fingers crossed!
Father expectantly waited at the edge of the window for their arrival on the presidential private jet. Although it had been a while; only visitation as this could pull back memories; It was father who solely sponsored and financed the president’s political ambition. They had been good acquaintances to date. In fact when I was declared missing few years ago, the president had helped to search for me; but those were only memories.
Father’s thought was snapped when the screeching of innumerable tyres made into the spacious compound of his villa. They were fleets of black Rolls Royce.
Mr. President was here!
“Did they come by road?” father contemplated within himself. He inarguably made a face when he wondered what could have inspired Mr. President to ply the highway when he could have used the presidential jet; it was far riskier and stressful to ply such horrible distance from the state house to the Saint Don Villa in spite the insecurity.
“Greetings, His Excellency. Long time no see,” Father intoned, hugged him brushed cheeks with him and shared bright face with him. They shook hands warmly.
With his arms gesturing at a corner, they were soon smiling down to a feast of intercontinental dishes which father hosted in his honor.
“Been a while having such breakfast with you. The last time was during my campaign.” the president intoned and paused masticating his food. “You made me who I am today, Saint Don. You have earned my loyalty, Saint. With Croesus like you, we shouldn’t be faced with this poor economy.”
Father raised a thick brow, “come on you have richer Croesus than me now. Haven’t you heard about my son, Mike Don?”
Now some people’s name could make you lose your appetite; thus was my name to the president. Upon hearing my name, he swallowed his last lump, dabbed his lips with the napkin and gulped down Sazerac down his throat; that was the end of the meal.
“I think I have lost my appetite.” He grinned briefly. “Anyways I have come to ask you, my good friend.” The president sounded and curved his lips emphatically “When your true heir went missing twenty years ago, didn’t he die or went missing forever as perceived because I doubt if Mike Don is your true heir.” He shrugged considerably, “Just my thought you know.”
Father didn’t lose interest in his meal at that question. Rather he poured more Sazerac, and etched a cute smile on his face.
“Not only is Mike Don my true heir but he has my in destructive, industrious blood in his veins. What do you call a son that multiplies the groups’ thirty trillion to five hundred trillion in a space of six months of assuming his place as true heir?”
“Well, I call him an arrogant rich brat who wouldn’t stop at nothing until he gets the oil well as collateral and the supreme power to free five prisoners just because we begged him thirty four trillion dollars…”
Father’s thunderous gaze interrupted him and he was forced to lower his gaze and settle on the cutlery in front.
“Is that all?” father queried and took more prawn form the tray, “That boy, Mike Don made me who I am today and I am convinced I have no other heir elsewhere.”
“I think you do. That boy is not your true heir. These past few weeks he has been needle in my veins. My friend, you did it for me three years ago. You can still d it again. I need the thirty four trillion from you. The five hundred thousand acres of land and the Cosmo Estate are up for collateral.”
“Drop it, Mr. President, you have my true heir, Mike Don, approach him, he is in charge now. I have gone on a life time recess. He has all the money you want. He made me who I am. Don’t you get it?”
“Saint Don! Saint Don!” he called at a breath and questioned his guts, “What are you insinuating? You are the world richest man. Why do you sound strange?”
Father shrugged as he shook his head. “Not anymore. I was the world richest man with thirty trillion dollars net worth. Today Mike Don is the world richest man with I-can-never-be poor net worth.” Father stood up, gulped his Sazerac and turned his emphatic gaze on him. “His Excellency if I were you I would give in to his demands for the loan.” He raised a newspaper to his view and opened to a page, “the economy is crashing. There is no time. Mike Don is the only solution to it.”
Mr. President swallowed hard and their eyes locked.
More drama ahead…