The Party on Abudu Smith Street

Chapter III

"Mom. Dad. H-how-?"

"1 A.M.!!! Farouq!!! Why is your phone off?!"

Rookie looked to check and it was apparent he didn't know the phone had died. It must have died after Flo hung up. He thought about Flo again and his father's voice faded out. He looked numb.

"I AM TALKING TO YOU!!"

"Bode. Can't you see he is shaken up? Something feels off. My son, what is the matter? Are you okay? Dele. So, you are a party to Farouq sneaking out of the house?"

"Mummy Farouq. Ejo, ema binu. Rookie... I think you should tell them." Dele urged.

The brief period of pause brought about by Rookie's reticence to speak out was a phenomenal occurrence of silence in the middle of noise.
Then he spoke.

"My friend was kidnapped tonight, here. Well, not here actually but it all began here, at this party. And we don't know where he is."

Rookie's mom almost fell on the futon couch where they stood. His father froze and could not understand his son for a moment.

"Your friend was kidnapped?"

"Oh my God! Do you mean that fourth guy? The one that was dancing at the beginning of the party?" Ada said, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Yes, Folarin. That's his name."

"What do you know of this person, young woman?"

"Not much, sir. Just saw him when he arrived and then later when they were all seated having drinks. And then also when he left."

"Where did he go?"

"He said he was going home and we actually spoke when he got home." Rookie's voice started to sound like it was taking a spin.
"Next thing, we get a call that he has been kidnapped."

"A call? From whom?" Farouq's mom, perturbed and barely keeping it together for the sake of onlookers who are already onlooking, asks from the top of the futon couch.

"Mom, that's the weirdest part of the story. Another friend of ours is out looking for him. This scenario is tied around him and Folarin's older brother."

"Why are so many characters springing up? It is hard to keep up!!! And I have not heard how you are tied to all of this, Farouq."

"I'm not. But Flo is my friend... a very close one and I cannot be unconcerned when he's not safe."

His dad looked at him strangely, shocked at the amount of conviction coming from his son about one of his friends in that way.

"You're not telling me everything, Farouq. You say there's one of you out there looking for him?"

"Yes, Mr. Adewura." Dele interjected. Rookie looked like he needed a little help with this interrogation. His father had started asking the questions that would lead to a whole exposé of the situation of matters and this party was not the place. Little Miss Watch-EverybodyandRun-Her-Mouth refused to leave the scene and Dele itched to tell her off, but it wasn't his place to. Right now, telling the selective truth was the utmost, adequate enough to allow the parents help to the extent of retrieving Flo but not too much information. He knew that Rookie's father was a staunch Moslem and saw nothing else as natural in terms of romantic relationships if it's not a man coming of age and finding a wife or ten.

"Let me help Farouq out here for a moment."

"Dele. Wàá s'oríre. Talk to us."

"Àmí, sir. Sir, the person kidnapped is Folarin, another friend of ours and what makes this a complicated case is that he wasn't the original target. His older brother was. But because he's been in hiding and can't be found, they went for his brother instead."