This document provides an excerpt from the novel "The Sons of Zik Prequel: Pool Party" which follows the lives of the four sons of Igwe Zik Achike. The summary includes: 1) Kurt Achike takes his fiancée Abomeli dress shopping for their engagement announcement party, but grows frustrated by her indecision and later learns she told others they were marrying next month without discussing it with him. 2) Leke Achike arrives in Nigeria after a job and looks forward to catching up with his family but has reservations about Abomeli. 3) Jon Achike wakes up with a woman named Kemi from the night before only to have another woman he

1. SONS
Zik
The
of
prequel
A Novel

2. The Sons of Zik Prequel: Pool Party
by Areta Nwosu
The four sons of Igwe Zik Achike…
One's engaged but refuses to set a wedding date. One
deals with the fact that his brother's wife fancies him.
One has two women fighting over him. One battles
the temptation to cheat on his wife.

3. The four sons of Zik are partying at the pool in the
family estate.
Although Kurt Achike is engaged to Abomeli, he’s still
not sure she’s the one…
Leke Achike flew in from Kenya to attend the party
and support Kurt but instead ends up mediating in
some family drama and conducting a unique job
interview.

4. Jon Achike-Scott is on vacation and wants to have fun
but his ex-wife, Valentina aka Sister Do Good, keeps
nagging him and he can’t stop thinking about an old
flame.
Toke Achike believes he’s reformed, no more cheating
on his wife for him… until he sets his eyes on
delectable Towumi, Abomeli’s friend.
This party can’t be a simple, boring event.
Not when Zik and his four sons are the hosts…

5. Chapter 1
Kurt Achike lobbed a glance at his reflection in the
mirrored wall on his right, taking in but not really
registering his chocolate-brown Brioni suit, open-
necked white shirt and tan shoes.
He yawned, for the third time since he’d come into
this boutique with Abomeli. What was he doing here?
Did they really need to be here, now? Did she really
need more clothes?

6. Mist! It was just a simple dinner party, tomorrow night
at his parent’s estate. Nothing fancy. A simple dinner
party to formally announce their engagement.
Kurt sighed. And Abomeli had chosen to buy a new
gown and shoes for this simple party. A gown and
shoes he was going to pay for.
As usual…

7. Pulling his eyes from his reflection, Kurt stared down,
at his hands linked on his laps. He’d made the right
choice this time, hadn’t he? She was great, she really
was. She was nothing like his last fiancée, Grace.
For one, she didn’t bore him senseless.
Though, now, sitting here in this half-empty shop,
waiting for his fiancée who was trying on her eighth
gown in the changing room, was driving him insane.

8. He had made his choice and he would have to stick
with it. After ending six relationships and breaking off
one engagement, he knew his mothers—both of
them—were beginning to get worried.

9. Abomeli glided out of the changing room, in a
sparkling olive-green silk dress with a v-neck top, a
high waist and a knee-length a-line skirt. The green
highlighted the fairness of her young unlined skin.
Kurt watched her walking toward him, a happy grin on
those soft pink lips and his heart skipped.

10. She was beautiful, with those big eyes, a small mouth
and slender body. That was one of the reasons he’d
chosen her.
She whirled around, grinning. “Do you like this one?”
He smiled. Couldn’t help it. “Yes, I do, darling.”
“I like it too.” Abomeli said. “I think this could be the
one.”
Kurt rolled his eyes, muttered, “Finally.”

11. “Babes…”
“We’ve been here for hours.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “Not hours. Maybe an
hour.”
He shook his head. “Nein, it’s been hours. We need to
get going. Mom and Dad are waiting. And we’re
supposed to be the guests of honour at tonight’s pool
party.”

12. “I know, I know, babes.”
“And we should be there earlier than my brothers.”
Abomeli scowled. “I know. We’ll leave soon.”
Kurt took in a deep breath and then murmured, “I
don’t know why you need another dress. You have
hundreds.”

13. She planted her hands on her silk-covered hips. “I need
another gown. Tomorrow night is a special occasion.
Tomorrow night we tell the world that we’re engaged.
How can that not be worthy of a new outfit?”
One I have to pay for—again. He waved a hand at her.
“Look, let’s not waste more time talking about this. Go
in and change. We’ll get this. This is fine. This is
perfect.”

14. “You’re sure, babes?”
He bobbed his head impatiently. “Yes, yes, I’m sure.
Go!”
Abomeli scampered back into the changing room.
In the left pocket of his jacket, his phone trilled. Kurt
drew it out and answered.

15. “Kurt…” the voice, a man’s Yoruba-accented voice,
said.
Kurt sighed. “Sesan, what’s happening?”
“You ought to tell me, Kurt Achike.”
“And why is that?”
Sesan’s voice rose, just a tiny bit. “I thought we were
friends—”
Kurt sank back into the plush leather armchair. “We’re
not friends. You’re a blogger who writes stories about
me and my family.”

16. “Correction: a blogger who writes favorable stories
about your family unlike others who always have
something nasty to report about the controversial Igwe
Zik Achike and his four infamous sons.”
Kurt lifted one eyebrow. “Infamous?”

17. Sesan cleared his throat. “We’re getting off point here.
The point is I’m on your side. I’ve always been and you
know that. That’s why I’m the only reporter who has
the mighty Kurt Achike’s personal phone number.”
Kurt rolled his eyes and then swung one leg over the
other. His glance caught that of the youngish sales girl
at the counter opposite.
She quickly averted her gaze.

18. Another curious onlooker, curious about him and his
family. Whatever.
“So what can I do for you this afternoon, Sesan?”
Sesan exploded. “You could tell me why I’ve been
hearing gossip all around town that Kurt Achike is
getting married to Abomeli Odum next month.”

19. “You said it yourself: gossip. The situation hasn’t
changed since the last time I gave you an update.
Abomeli and I have not set a date.”
“It’s not gossip, Kurt. It’s on the radio and other
bloggers are running with it. They credit an anonymous
source.”
Kurt bounded forward, scooting to the very edge of his
seat. His voice was quiet and panicked at the same
time. “What?”

20. Sesan continued, “That’s why I was angry. I thought I
was your first call for news like this.”
“I didn’t—I haven’t set a date.”
“Well, everyone thinks you did.”

21. “Mist! Where did they get this bullshit story from?”
“An unnamed source.”
“An unnamed—mist! Who the hell is this source?”
Sesan lowered his voice. “I asked some questions.
Heard something. If you truly haven’t set a date—”
“I haven’t.”
“That’s good then. The source is your fiancée, or so I
heard.”

22. Kurt was up and striding toward the changing room,
the phone glued to his ear. “Thanks Sesan.”
“No worries, Kurt. Later.”
Kurt’s head pounded. How could she? Battling to rein
in his growing temper, he was in public after all; he
called out, “Abomeli!”

23. “Babes.”
“I need you here right now.”
“I’m coming.”
“Now!”
She stepped out; back in the clothing she’d worn to the
shop and with the silk dress on her arm. “What is it,
babes?”

24. He sucked in a deep breath. “Did you tell anyone that
we’ve set a date for our wedding?”
Abomeli’s eyes jumped to his. He sighted something:
anxiety mixed with panic.
She looked away, shrugging her shoulders. “Why are
you asking me this?”

25. “Did you or did you not?”
“Kurt, why would you think—?”
“Just answer me!”
Abomeli frowned. “You don’t have to scream at me.”
“I don’t have to scream… are you okay?” Kurt aimed an
index finger at his right temple. “Are you thinking
right? You don’t think I should be annoyed?”

26. “Okay, fine.” She opened her arms, palms out. “I may
have said something.”
“Abomeli! Why? Did I tell you to do that? Have we
even set a date?”
“You told me you wanted to marry me as soon as
possible.”
“How did that translate into next month?”

27. Abomeli extended a hand to him. He stepped away.
“Babes…” she dumped the dress on a nearby stool. “I
love you. You love me. There’s no reason to wait.”
“It still does not give you any right to tell the world a
lie.”
“But when are we getting married, babes?”
Kurt veered on her, hazel eyes shining. “You think this
is a good time to ask me this? Ach nee?”

28. She puckered her lips at him. “I don’t like it when you
start cursing at me in German.”
“It’s not a curse.” Kurt shook his head. She’d done it
again. Pissed him off. And now he was back to
wondering whether she was the one. Did she think
that exposing a fabricated date would force his hand?
It proved she didn’t know him well.

29. He pushed the words out through his stiff lips. “We’re
leaving now.”
She glanced at the dress. “But what of the gown?”
He glowered at her. “What of it?”
“Won’t we buy it?”
“You mean me.”

30. “I would if I had the money.”
Kurt thinned his eyes at her and then stormed toward
the door. “If you don’t leave now, I’ll go without you.”
She hesitated and then scurried after him.

31. “Excuse me sir… madam… you’re not taking the
dress?”
He paused, his hand on the door handle. Then he
sighed and swerved around to look at the sales girl.
“I’ll take it.”
“And the shoes she tried on earlier?”

32. Kurt pressed his lips together. Mist! “Yes, fine.
Whatever. The shoes too.”
“Babes, thanks.” Abomeli whispered.
“Just go and wait for me by the car. We’re not finished
discussing this.”

33. Chapter 2
Fishing for his phone in the pocket of his black jacket,
Leke Achike dallied by the conveyor belt. The luggage
was rolling in, slowly but surely. A few of his fellow
passengers on the flight into Lagos loitered in front of
the conveyor belt, also waiting for their luggage.
He extricated his phone and placed a call. “Bala?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Where are you?”

34. “I’m on airport road, about ten minutes away.
Welcome, sir, your flight came in early.”
Leke nodded although his driver couldn’t see it. “Yes,
we did. I’m collecting my bags. I’ll be out soon.”
“I’ll be there, sir.”

35. Leke ended the call and slipped the phone back into
his jacket.
He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his trousers.
It’d been a long flight and a hectic ten-hour every day,
one-week job watching over a herd of fat-faced
corporate executives cavorting in a game reserve in
Kinshasa.

36. But they paid well and on time. The money was
already sitting in his bank account.
Thank you. Nice doing business with you.
Leke smiled. His home and personal security business,
Leo9 Services, was doing very well. Very well, indeed.

37. He was hiring again, beefing up his staff. He’d
advertised the vacancy last week but no luck yet.
It wasn’t easy, though. He understood that. He was
seeking female security personnel to act as
bodyguards.
How many were there in the country?

38. But he would find the right person. As always. He’d
handpicked his present team—all male—and they
were good. One or two almost as good as him. He
would find the right woman to add to the mix.
It was only a matter of time.

39. The announcement boomed once more over the
system. Announcing the arrival of the flight from
Nairobi to Lagos…
Leke scanned the belt. His bags hadn’t arrived yet.
Damn, did it always have to take forever to get your
luggage?
His finger was up again, tracing the scar under his right
eye. It’d become an automatic motion, touching the
scar often, struggling not to remember how that scar
had happened to his face.

40. It had been a few years. The scar was fading now but
still visible.
He didn’t mind that. He needed the reminder to not
make the same mistake again.
Leke shook his head. Forget about what happened in
Ghana.

41. He breathed in air. This female bodyguard business
was hot right now. Some of his male clients had
suggested it. Apparently they preferred another
female watching over their precious wives.
And then, in Kinshasa, one of the executives, a
woman, had informed him that she knew a lot of her
friends wanted women guarding their children.
Preferably ones who do double duty as nannies and
bodyguards.

42. It made sense, business-wise. Right after Kurt and
Abomeli’s engagement party tomorrow night, he
would call up his contacts, dig harder and intensify his
search.

43. It’d been a few weeks since he’d set eyes on his
brother—indeed, on any of his family.
His job took him up and down, here and there. He’d
barely returned from his sojourn to Ghana before
jetting off to Nairobi and then Kinshasa.

44. Beautiful Abomeli. At twenty-nine, nine years younger
than Kurt. She seemed to love his brother.
But, still, there was just something about her he didn’t
like.
Not that he would ever, ever say anything to Kurt
about her. She was Kurt’s choice and he would stand
by his brother, no matter what.

45. Jon Achike-Scott dragged open his eyes. His gaze
alighted on a cute face and then descended to her
large naked breasts.
He shot out a hand to grab one of those bouncy
breasts.
She shoved his hand away. “There’s someone at your
door.”
“What?” Jon muttered, fighting to remember who she
was, where he was.
And what had happened last night.

46. Oh yes. He’d gone to a nightclub with… um, ur… yes,
Kemi… and they’d had a lot to drink and after the club,
they had returned to his flat.
Yeah, yeah, he was in his bed.

47. “Did you hear what I said?”
Her voice floated away. His eyes were closing.
Somewhere someone was hammering on something…
“Fine. I’ll open it.”

48. Through half-shut eyes, Jon watched her—Kemi—
spring out of the bed and pull on a t-shirt. Where was
she going?
His eyelids drooped.
Wow. The sex with Kemi had been great. She was
limber, able to move in ways that still amazed him.
The yells jolted him from sleep and out of the bed.

49. Jon followed the sound, to his foyer. He halted and
stared.
“—you must be smoking crack! Jon is not yours.”
“Who is smoking crack? I asked you: what are you
doing with my boyfriend, you ugly bitch?”

50. Kemi had her hands on her waist; face up and close to
the other woman’s face. The door stood ajar. The
other woman was pretty and tall, taller than Kemi and
she looked familiar. Yeah, yeah. Her name was…
Amina. She was one of the women he screwed on and
off.
Jon scratched his stubble. Should he do something
about this? Uh, maybe not.

51. He took a step back but unfortunately his movement
alerted the women.
They swung their faces in his direction. Amina’s eyes
traveled over him.
And that was when he realized he was naked.

52. Amina shouted, “Jon, Jon… what happened? Baby, tell
her you’re mine.”
Kemi batted her eyelashes at Jon. “Baby, tell her the
truth, okay? She’s crazy.”
“Um…” Jon gave a wry smile. Were they both kidding?
But what should he say? How could he handle this
potentially volatile situation? Definitely not what was
at the tip of his tongue: I’m not dating either of you.

53. Amina moved toward him but Kemi blocked her way.
“Where do you think you’re going? This is my man’s
house!”
“Since when? He’s not yours, are you deaf?”
“Who is deaf? Me or you?”
Phew. They were back to concentrating on each other.
This was his moment.

54. Jon backed away slowly, into the bedroom. He didn’t
have time for this. The pool party was this evening and
Kurt and Abomeli’s engagement dinner was tomorrow.
He had to leave now.

55. Jon glanced around. Where were his boxers? His
glance spied them on the carpet, tangled together
with Kemi’s underwear, dress and heels.
He climbed into his boxers and then snatched his
phone off the dresser by his bed.
Quickly now. They were still going at it. Screaming
their heads off.

56. Jon rooted in his closet and went for the nearest shirt,
jeans and sneakers.
Clutching the shoes and phone in one hand and with
the clothes over his other arm, he crept out of the
bedroom, took a left turn past the bathroom to the
backdoor.

57. Damn, his toothbrush.
Jon sighed, slipped his phone into a pocket of his jeans
and retraced his steps.
Good. They hadn’t noticed his absence yet. Great.
He retrieved his toothbrush, opened the backdoor—
quietly, quietly—and slunk out, easing the door shut
behind him.

58. Chapter 3
“Tell me again why we’re here waiting to pick up my
brother when he has, maybe, two or three drivers.”
Laide Balogun-Achike glanced up into her husband’s
face and smiled. “Because, sweetie, he’s your brother
and my brother-in-law and because we’ve both
missed him. And because we were close by.”

59. Toke Achike’s head fell back and came back up again.
“Okay, okay.” He stared at her, entranced again by her
loveliness. What a lucky man he was. To sleep and
wake up every day next to this vision…

60. “He’s always been your favorite, though.” Toke said,
grinning at her.
“Yes. He’s the least—shall we say—troublesome of the
four sons of Zik.”
Toke opened his eyes in a pretense of shock. “Four?
Are you including me?”

61. She snuggled into his side, laughing. “Sweetie, you
know I love you anyway.”
“Leke’s fooled you, like he’s done my parents and
hundred others, into thinking he’s a good guy. Wait
and see; he’ll show you.”
“Oh, please.”
“Okay-o. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

62. Toke draped his left arm over her shoulders, tugging
her closer. His stare wandered over her trim body in a
pink t-shirt—she loved pink—over black Capris.
Dressed for an evening partying at the Achike estate
pool.
Was she referring to his fling with Theresa, the ex-
human resources director of Zik’s Air?
She’d forgiven him. It had happened over nine months
ago and since that time; he’d been a good boy.

63. Kept his hands to himself and only on his wife.
Theresa had been a mistake. He was the CEO and she
had been his employee. She was a divorcee and he
was married to Otunba Balogun’s first daughter.
Theresa claimed she loved him and begged him to
leave his wife.
As if.

64. How could he divorce Laide?
She was the love of his life and the mother of his four
children; the twins, his son and daughter. Also her
father was a chieftain in his political party, one of his
strongest supporters for his bid for Governor of Lagos
State in the next elections.
No, he wasn’t stupid.

65. He’d ended things with Theresa and then the next day
she’d rushed into his office, screaming and crying and
making a scene.
Of course the news had reached Laide’s ears. Laide
had immediately demanded he fire Theresa.
And eager to make amends, he’d done just that.

66. His adoring gaze logged her dark, finely-pored skin. He
was blessed to have her, he really was.
The first time he’d seen her, she was peering at him
from the upstairs window of her bedroom. He had
been nineteen years old and had gone with his father
to visit Otunba Balogun.
At the end of their visit and as they were heading to
their car, he’d felt someone’s eyes on him.

67. He’d looked up and there she was, staring at him.
She’d watched him for over seven months and then,
one day she came down to talk to him.
Maybe she’d meant it as a question but it came out as
an order.

68. “You don’t have a girlfriend.”
Toke had ogled this good-looking young girl standing
boldly in front of him and had immediately decided
not to reveal the fact that he was seeing two other
girls at the same time.
He’d done what any red-blooded, eager, young, almost
twenty year old man would do.

69. He’d asked her out and she’d said yes.
It took him two years, and an engagement ring to pry
open her thighs but the wait had been worth it.
He grinned.

70. A string of announcements echoed around the arrivals
lounge of the Murtala Mohammed Airport. One of
which was the arrival of Leke’s flight.
“He’ll be out soon.” Laide said, kneading her
husband’s knee with one hand.

71. “Yes. It won’t be long.” Toke glanced around. At this
hour, the hall was partly full. He noticed a lot of men
and women in business suits milling about plus a
couple of strong-faced army officers in their green
uniforms.

72. He settled into his seat, stroking his wife’s upper arm.
Laide was right. He’d missed his brother. Despite his
quiet air, Leke always had fun stories to tell, maybe
because of his job as a bodyguard. He couldn’t wait to
see him.
Tonight was going to be wonderful. Everyone was
going to be at the pool party and then, the next day at
the dinner—Dad, Mom, Kurt, Leke and Jon.

73. And then, hopefully soon after, Kurt would join him
and become the second son of Zik to get married.
Hopefully.
He was looking forward to that.

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