Dunni's parents called me one evening, asking me to come over to their abode to discuss a business opportunity. My two earlobes stood erect on hearing the word "business". The girl was a student in one of my JAMB tutorial centres. I taught her Government, C.S.R and Literature. As a prospective law student, she needed to do well in those subjects and she did.
The family can go to my tutorial centre via a referral and I spent no time ensuring they got the service they paid for. That very year, more than 80% of our tutorial students scored above 210 in the examination. It was a huge success and we were glad.
When I reached the Adebanjos' abode, the gate was opaque and the compound was behind a tall fence. I pressed the doorbell and in no time, a hefty man in some kind of uniform opened the gate and asked about my mission. I told him that his boss asked me to see him. He locked the gate, leaving me outside, probably to go confirm and returned shortly, asking me to follow him.
When I stepped into the compound, I smelled wealth and good living from the paving stones to the well-trimmed flowers and the wall lights, everything looked out of this world. I was mesmerized, no doubt. Before I knew it, we were walking along a hallway with a decorated roof, like those you get to see in Italian movies. To say the least, the house was well built.
Soon, we arrived in the large living room with a television screen that looked like a cinema hall. I was led to a chair, the air conditioner was blowing my face like the dreaded harmattan. I was getting frozen when the chief came in.
Welcome, Mr Keccy.
He greeted me in a very soft voice and sat opposite me.
My daughter has said a lot about you. And we would like that you prepare her for an international screening examination she would be writing in two months time.
Chief Adebanjo said, pointing to a magazine on the center table.
That's the curriculum she is to use in preparing for the exam.
I walked gently like the ground was fragile and may break if I walk hardly on it.
We are ready to pauly you a sum of $350 dollars for each of the months. And you can take your lunch and dinner here too. And your daily transport allowance would be settled at the beginning of every week.
My jaw dropped as chief pronounced what seemed like a verdict than a discussion between him and I. As far as I am concerned, the pay was satisfactory and I am ready to begin immediately.
When do we begin sir?
I asked the chief.
Next week Monday will be just fine. Kindly hold on as Dunni will come to walk you to the gate.
Chief stood up, climbed the staircase and went upstairs. A few minutes later, Dunni came down the stairs with a brown envelope in her hand.
Good evening Mr Keccy. Dad asked me to drop this with you.
She handed over the envelope to me. I could not open it. I just held it and later folded it into two and put it in my pocket. Dunni then accompanied me to the gate. I could see the joy in her eyes. We bid each other goodbye as I walked through the gate to the adjoining street. I then dared to open the envelope. What I had inside was mint of 25 #1,000 notes. Just for accepting the call and visiting.
On Monday, as promised, we started the special tutorial and Dunni loved it. The curriculum was quite different from Nigeria's, so I had to do a lot of preparation before coming over. I didn't want to appear before her as a half-baked tutor. Luckily for me, it went well. After the class sessions, Dunni would help me pack the meals in disposal plates. Those meals were worth it. I looked forward to the different delicacies and I can tell that I enjoyed it.
After the first month, I received the first $350 wage. It was like it should not come to an end. I did more work because there might be another opportunity if this one works out well. But something happened.
Dunni started to behave in some unacceptable ways. She would wear skimpy clothes to class and Inwas getting seriously uncomfortable. Sometimes, she would wrap her hands around my neck region, resting her cleavage on my back. I was scared of those moments. It could be a set up, I thought.
One evening, when I got to the living room, she stood opposite me almost without a bra and a revealing cloth. I was dumbfunded. All I could do was to step outside. The thought of the wage first overwhelmed me and the thought of going to jail. At that point, I just decided to walk away in the middle of the second month, having wrote down my plans for the incoming pay.
I had to sacrifice it all because of the impending danger that Dunni was posing.
It was at first a regret but I later on, I applauded myself for standing my ground. I won't stoop to having an affair with a student that was kept in care.