The Phone Thief

11. So Help Me God

Adam heard his step mum talking about the wedding over the phone. Even though she has no ties with the government house, he knows that nothing will stop her from attending the wedding. The commissioner of women affairs is her friend and the wife of the head of civil service is also her friend.

Adam was thinking.

He wouldn't want her to be there when he does his last job. Of course, he will steal his step mums gate pass for himself. He needs two gate passes. One for himself and one for Abubakar, even though Abubakar will not come but chances are not to be played with.

His step mum upon finding out that her card is missing will definitely secure another. The problem is that she may not realize that its not in her bag until the day of the event and as such, she may not get another one. She could still get it if she really want. She has powerful friends.

Where then will Adam get the second card from? This keeps him thinking. "Thats one advantage of having friends, powerful friends" he said to himself.

If his step mum finds out that her first card is missing or stolen in time, she'll get another and Adam can steal it the second time. He can do it meticulously that she could only blame her own children. In that way, she would have exceeded her quest for gate pass from whoever is giving her.

Just then, another thought occurred to Adam. Since Abubakar isn't going, his step mother can give him the protection that he wanted from Abubakar.

If he get caught, the people in the hall wouldn't beat him because they are all supposedly rich and happy people. Those people don't do things that will belittle them among elites. The poor are the ones who like disgracing other poor people whenever the opportunity presents itself. So if he get caught he would be handled to the police. Problem is the police might rough him some too, his step mum will step in for him. She will bail him out.....maybe.

That will mean he will be exposed. But he will have a good explanation to give his father. It's all his step mum's fault to begin with. He will be totally vindicated and perhaps, applauded. With that thought, he smiled.

From that day, Adam spend most of his time in the main parlor where his step mum love dash instructions from, as the queen of the house.

She love to spread herself on the longest couch that faces the television. Then she will pop her head tie from the back making it stop just close to her eyebrows. With her handbag by her left side and remotes by her right. She always has a pack of Orbit chewing gum in her hand bag. She'll unroll two pieces, throw them in her fairly large mouth every time she's seated. When Adam was little, he had once advised her to be taking the whole pack at once. She asked why and he said because her mouth will accommodate even five packs.

Adam started sitting with her in the parlor when he heard of the wedding. She asked of why and his reply was "I have nowhere to go and our receiver is kind of faulty. Am tired of fixing it"

She wouldn't dare send him out of his fathers parlor. when his siblings realized that he has been coming to the parlor, they all gather there to play with him because they are very fond of him. As they do what they do, his attention is always on his step mum, her conversation on phone mostly.

Starting from Sunday, his step mum will always tell whoever she calls about the wedding. She'll be like "I'm very tired, you know we have a wedding this coming week, the governors daughter is getting married. We have been making preparations" She will talk with an aura of authority and belonging as if she is the governor's sister.

On Monday, someone called her. She was blabbing about the wedding over the phone and the person on the other end of the line must have asked of the venue and time of the wedding. She was like "let me check"

She brought out the beautiful card from her bag and told the person the address and time. Then she said "well, I was also given two cards, one for me and the other for Hajia Mariya".

She kept the card by her side and continued the conversation she's having over the phone.

Adam had to make a decision. He could take it at that moment or wait till later, and take it from her handbag in her room. But this is the best time, now that she is making the conversation. Adam couldn't come up with an idea on how to distract her so he simply pray she leaves the parlor for any reason. She didn't. When she was going to her room she took only her handbag, forgetting the gate pass on the couch. Adam didn't touch it however. He feared she could have deliberately left it there.

After about fifteen minutes, she sends her youngest child to get the card for her.

The following day in the morning, when she was in the bathroom, Adam went straight to her handbag and took the gate pass. He was very swift it took him less than a minute to take the card and leave the room.

However, he keeps staying with her in the parlor until the day of the event.

on the day of the event, Abubakar wore his most expensive clothes. It was a well sown victory brocade and his cufflinks was an original Gucci design. His cap was an expensive Bama handmade zanna and his shoes were well polished Hermes brand.

Prior to the day, Adam had sent a text message to Abubakar : Good afternoon Ustaz Abubakar, you cool?
Anyway the dinner is at Marhaba Event Center, Farm Center. Time is 7:30pm

While he is seated in the parlor. His step mum was grooming herself in her room, trying to look extra expensive and belonging. Adam feared that she was still yet to realize her gate pass is missing. He sat down comfortably watching Aljazeera.

"Ameera" Adam heard his step mum calling his younger sister. He guessed she must have find out. "Khalid" she called again.

Adam realized she must have gone into investigation and interrogation mode so he sat well, because he was very sure she'll suspect him. When all the kids confessed they knew nothing about the card, she went straight to the parlor breathing hard and deep, and fast.

Upon seeing Adam well dressed, she stopped walking. Adam could feel the piercing look she was casting on him. He didn't turn anyway. He brought out his phone to start doing something.

"Adam" she said at the top of her voice "where are you going to?"

"I will be at home till seven....anything" he casually answered.

"Where will you be going to at seven?" She asked again.

"To the governor's daughter's wedding dinner?" He said it looking straight into her eyes.

"So you're going to the dinner with my card right? Give it to me" she barked.

"No I'm not going with your card, the deputy governor's child was my classmate. He invited me" Adam answered.

She placed her hands on her waist and propped her head. "You're lying. Let me see the card"

"I don't have the card with me, he told me he'll give it to me there" Adam denied.

"That's impossible. Someone must have taken my card from my room. If I don't attend that wedding....I must attend" She muttered.

"Well..." Adam said "if you'll be there by eight I think I can get you a card"

"No you can't"

"Yes I can, trust me"

"How? The card is limited you know that. This is a governor's daughters wedding we are talking about"

"And I am Alhaji Isa's son. I promise to get you two cards if you want an extra. It isn't a big deal with powerful people like me. But you'll have to do something for me"

"What is that?" She keenly asked.

"Give me the key to Daddy's Benz" Adam said in a low voice.

"No, I can't"

Adam insisted "Yes you can"

"No. He will know. The car has a tracking device"

"You will tell him you took the car to the government house's wedding"

At the end.... she trusted Adam.
................

By 7:45pm, Adam was parking the white Benz at Marhaba event center.
"It's about to go down" he said "so help me God"