Chapter 7

Quiet Revelation
 

"Where have you been?" Daniel said almost yelling.

"I told you I was going out with my friend... And why are you raising your voice at me?" Victoria said looking at her husband with a cocked eye. 

He readjusted in his seat. His eyes were intensely looking at her. He was clearly angry.

He stood up and pointed his finger at her. 
"You have been doing this for a while now. You will leave me hungry at home. You now come back and give me this nasty attitude of going out with your friend. Did you marry your friends or me?"

"What have I done wrong this time? Everytime I go out, you are always asking me questions like I am outside doing something funny... "

"You give me reasons to think like that..." He poured out back at her. His expression was laden with anger.

"See, I am tired. I don't have strength for this now..." She said walking away. 

"So you will walk out on me while I'm talking to you?" He was almost shouting out his words.

"Why are you shouting?" She ignored him and walked away.

"Yes, I expected you to do that. I have been hungry all day and you come back and this is what I get?"

"You could have made something for yourself..." Victoria called out from inside.

"Is that what you are supposed to say?"

There was no response from inside. 

Daniel stormed out of the house. He slammed the door hard it made a loud blab sound.

He started the car and in a few minutes was out of the compound.

***

Paul stood by the window.

It was 6:27am in the morning. He was looking outside.

His wife was fast asleep. 

Paul could not sleep. He had spent most the night turning in his dreams. He had struggled to get himself to sleep but it was to no avail. He tried to read his bible but that did not help either. 

He had been relieved of his job three weeks ago. That had left him devastated. If not for his ever loving and supportive wife, he would have lost it.

He turned around from the window to meet the eyes of his wife. 

"Did I wake you?" He asked gently.

"No, you didn't...." She yawned.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Well, yeah. Kind of... You?"

"Did not get much sleep..."

She pulled off the covers and stepped out of the bed. She adjusted her nightgown and tied the sash properly. She walked towards him. 

They hugged for a minute and then he said, "I hope you won't be late today?"

"I'd hurry my bath. I think I can make it before the training starts."

He released her.

"You have started thinking about your job again abi..?"

"It’s obvious huh?"

"You are so easy to read...." She disappeared into the bathroom.

He walked to the bathroom door. "Sometimes you cant just but think about things like this..."

"If you worry so much about a job you have lost, you would not have room..."

"To create and get another one... I know."  He finished her statement.

"It’s been three weeks now. Can you believe that?"

There was quiet in the bathroom. Then the sound of the shower.

He walked back to the window. Just below his apartment, he could see his neighbor's son washing his car. On the street, he could see stream of cars making their way to the highway. The street was busy as usual. 

Minutes later, his wife emerged from the bathroom. Her face was washed white. Her skin matched her face tone. She had a yellow towel wrapped up to her waist. He watched as she went to her closet and started to push her clothes around. 

"Honey, I don't know what to wear. Can you help me choose?" She did not wait for him to respond. She was at her vanish table in seconds.

Paul was looking at two of the choices he made. He finally decided to pick the coffee brown pleated skirt and a Beige colored flowery blouse. He had always liked it on her. 

"This one looks great on you all the time." He smiled. He put it on the bed.

"Thanks love."

"You are welcome."

"So tell me what exactly were you thinking about...?" She asked as she buttoned the blouse.

"A lot of things... "

"Like?"

"The project we started, I don't know how we are going to continue, let alone finish. My target is that we complete it before the end of the year..."

"Let’s take it one step at a time. What we need to focus on is getting you a new job. Then, the project can continue. You should stop worrying. Its contagious you know..."

"Yeah, you are right. It’s just that it’s one of my projects for this year."

"Well, now that we are in the situation we find ourselves, its time to reorganize. Change is what everyone should prepare for. Nothing is permanent. Not even today."

He did not reply. He was looking at the window.

She walked to the mirror to check herself. She adjusted the skirt. Seems like it was creased on the left. She brushed her forearm on it as if to keep that edge smooth. It did not work. She left it and moved on.

"Sometimes, I wish I had your kind of mind."

"Why?" She questioned. This time he had her full attention. She loved to hear people say that. Especially, her husband.

"You rarely let anything bother you. I feel intimidated."

"No, there's nothing to it. If I know my worrying about a thing won't translate to change or improvement, I discard it immediately. And interestingly, I learnt a lot of it from you when we were dating. Only God knows what happened to you."

"I don't know my dear. I really don't. I need grace at this time, honestly. I wish it was that easy…"

"Sincerely, it’s that easy for me."

"Yeah, I know."

Their 5 year old daughter walked into the room.

"How are you sweetheart?" Patience was looking intently on her daughter. The little girl was awake—her eyes were wide open.

"Good morning mummy. Good morning daddy" She murmured.

"Good morning princess.” Patience reached over and kissed her daughter on the forehead.

The little girl ignored her mum and walked to her father. He picked her up. "Good morning sweetheart."

She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Seems like a father-daughter thing is going on between two of you. I’m jealous." Patience walked out of the room.

"Lizzy, did you hear what mummy said?"

She did not answer. He put her down and looked at her. “What’s the matter my little shweetheart?”

She did not say anything. He made a gesture to tickle her.

“Lemme jhoor” She managed to say. A smile tracing her upper lip.

“Oh so this princess can talk.” He acted surprise.

Lizzy ignored him and went to the bed.

He walked up to her. “What’s the matter with my little princess?”

This time he tickled her. She turned, laughing as she did. She was fond of her dad. He always made her happy.

“Daddy lemme alone… hahahaha” She laughed.

He stopped tickling her and let her calm down. “So what do you need daddy to do for you this morning?”

At that moment, Patience walked into the room. She had two slice of bread in her hand with a cup of tea on the other hand. Lizzy jumped down from the bed and ran to her mum.

“Oh so you have my attention now abi?”

Lizzy giggled.

“Do you want to drink tea?” She asked her daughter who was curiously looking into her cup.

Lizzy nodded. She was touching to side of the cup to feel it.

“Mummy, it is hot” Lizzy said. Her expression showed dissatisfaction.

“Yes honey, it is very hot.” Paul came to her rescue.

“Common, princess, let’s go and make you your own cup of tea. Leave mummy’s tea alone. Mummy’s tea is not sweet. I will make a sweet one for you…”

Lizzy walked casually to her dad.

“Thanks darling.” Patience said to her husband.

“No problem. You’ve got to hurry up. You have less than forty minutes to get to the venue.”

“Yeah.”

Father and daughter were out of the room.

Patience pushed her cup of tea aside and went on her knees.

Dear heavenly Father, I appreciate you for everything You have done in the past in my family. I thank You for the current situation and what You will do out of this. I pray that You give my husband the strength at this time. Please give him your grace so that he can get through this tough time gracefully. I trust You will provide what we need when we need it. Thank You for everything in Jesus Name. Amen.

She picked up her cup of tea and allowed herself to the rest of the content. She picked up her bag and pair of shoes and walked out of the room.

“You look very great.” Paul complimented his wife as she walked into the living room. Their son—David was also with him. He had a cup of tea in his hand as well.

 “Thank you honey. I will be using your car” Patience said kissing her son on his head. “Hope you slept well?” She asked him.

“Yes mum” David nodded.

 “That’s alright.”

“I will be picking up our laundry and may pick up some groceries.”

“Ok. Babie, pls you need to leave now.”        

He walked up to his wife and kissed her on the forehead and then on the cheeks. She in turn, kissed him on the lips. “I love you Paul and everything will be fine.”

“I know. Have a lovely day.”

She turned to the kids who were at the moment watching the TV. “Love you guys. See you soon. Bye”

“Bye mum” They chorused.

***

“You are very fortunate my dear” Michelle said to her friend. 

“Why? What do you mean?” Tadekemi asked looking at her friend curiously.

“Do you know I caught my husband red-handed with his mistress?”

“What?” Tadekemi covered her mouth. Her eyes flashed.

“Hmmm. I tell you.”

“How? Where…?”

“It’s a long story.”

“I have all the time in the world my dear.”

“Ok. I need you to keep this between us. My husband does not know I’ve found out.”

“He doesn’t know? How did you find out? And I’m surprised. If someone else told me this, I won’t believe it. But coming from you…”

“I was out of the country for a month or so. He called one day and said he would be going to the Bahamas with a couple of friends and they would be out for two weeks. So I asked which of his friends, just out of curiosity not in any way suspicious. He mentioned the names of his friends that I knew. And I said ok. He promised to be back before I came back. So I wished him the best. I thought he needed that kind of vacation from work since most of his family are in the US. I just thought it was change of environment and it would be good for him. He sent me some pictures while I was in the US of the pictures they took at the beach and when they went fishing. There were about eight of them on the trip. I think it was his club. ” She paused and looked away. She was evidently shattered by the aftermath.

“Its ok Michy” Tadekemi tried to console her friend.

“I don’t know why I trusted that man at all. That trip of one of the many trips he had been having over the years…”

“So how did you figure out…” Tadekemi cuts in.

“I was going through some of the pictures again one Saturday evening. You know… I missed him. So I called him that evening. By this time he was back from the Bahamas. It was a female voice that picked the call. Then almost immediately the call ended. He called me back. I asked him who picked the call. He said what did I mean? I said when I called him that a female voice picked the call. He said that no call came through. He explained that the network might have had an issue at the time. He said some people have complained about calls routing strangely to the wrong numbers. I discarded it and assumed his assumptions were true. I could not suspect my husband. He was… You know him now…”

“Yes… that’s why I’m closed to shock. I still don't believe this. Not that I'm saying you are lying but I don't believe your husband of all men. its really hard.”

“My dear, see me ooo. Anyway, after that time, he gave me no reason to be suspicious. Two to three months after that time. The same thing happened. When I asked him whether he had called his network to resolve what the problem could be, his response was very casual.  But I asked him why was it that it was always a female voice that responded. He asked me what I was insinuating. And you know when you don’t have all your facts you can’t throw such accusation at someone like that.  Anyway, I did not push it that day but I became suspicious. So I spoke to a friend of mine on how to handle such issues. She said there’s an organization in Nigeria just like Cheaters. You know Cheaters now?”

“Yeah I do. Really?”

“Yes. They are very secretive. You will never know except someone tells you. Anyway, I got in touch with them and they got all the information I needed…”

“What did they say?”

“Not say. They gave me proof…” Michelle reached into her bag and pulled out an envelope. She handed it to her friend.

Tadekemi opened the envelope and brought out a set of postcard sized pictures. She looked at the pictures and her expression told her surprise.

“Jesus! Jesus!” She kept saying.

“Can you believe?”

Tadekemi held two of the pictures and dropped the rest on her laps. She looked at the pictures again and looked up as if to remember something.

“What is it?”

“I think I have seen this lady’s face before. Its very familiar.”

“Really? Her name is Jennifer Ejiofor. ”

Tadekemi did not reply. She was trying to remember where she had recognized the face.

“No not in my church. And not in my office either. Not at the gym…” She said. Obviously thinking out loud.

“Why are you bothering your head? What would you do to her? Is it her fault or my husband’s?”

Tadekemi sighed. Her mind was still working the face.

“I don’t know. What do men want? You can never satisfy them. No matter what you do, they would do what they want. I worked hard to slim down because he said I was growing big. It was a lot of work to get into shape. I started going to the gym to be fit. You and I met at the gym now abi? I did everything to please this man. Why now?” Michelle was rumbling words. She began to sob.

“Take heart my dear. Take heart. I wish there was something I could say to change all of this but you will need to go for counseling and talk with your husband about this soon.”

“I’m leaving him.”

“Don’t make such a decision out of emotional anger dear… You might end up regretting it.”

“Regretting what? What are you talking about? This man cheated, what there to regret abut that? And there’s nothing to talk about. He is just a foolish man.  After 15years of marriage? Jesus! Patrick. Patrick. I so hate that man right now.”

Then, it struck Tadekemi.

The face—she had seen it twice at her husband’s office.

***

Jide walked briskly following Adaora.

“Jide leave me alone…” She was about raising her voice.

“Ada, it’s not what you think it is. I can explain…”

“So what it is? Do you think me a fool?” She stopped in her track and looked at him.

“Ada, I’m so sorry I hurt you. I didn’t intend to do so.”

“I told you no sex…”

“I know you said so… I’m sorry. My emotions got the best of me.”

“If you can’t be in a relationship without sex, then I’m not the girl you should be dating.”

“I can. I’m so sorry Adaora. I would control myself. I promise. I promise it would not happen again.”

She sighed. “I guess it’s my fault as well.” She made a gesture on the clothes she was wearing.

“No it’s not your fault.”

“So I guess going forward, we won’t be meeting at your place again...”

“Why? No. If you are concerned about what happened, I can promise you it won’t happen again.”

She opened her car.

“It’s safer for both of us that we meet out in public. It makes it easier to control whatever runs through your mind.”

“If that’s what you want, then so be it.”

She smiled.

She started her engine. “I love you Jide.”

“I love you too” He replied with a smile on his face. “Call me when you get the chance.”

“Sure.”

She pulled out the car and waved him goodbye.

He blew her a kiss and waved back.

Man, I was so close. No sex? How now? He thought to himself.

He walked back to his apartment.

****************************************

CHAPTER 8 Coming Soon

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Chapter 6

Broken Dreams 

 

Francis tried hard but he could not force himself to sleep. He stood up from the bed and paced his small room. He was not sure why sleep would not come and he also was not sure what else he could be doing at the time. He was worried.

He picked up the book that he had been trying to read. When he had perused a few paragraphs, he closed it and dropped it on the bed. It was useless trying to do anything.

He lay down on the bed again. The clock on the wall registered quarter after four.

Three weeks ago, he went to the market with his younger sister. The market was crowded. People were moving to and fro in different directions. There were road side merchants trying to sell wristwatch or belt or whatever it was they peddled. The place was very noisy. Francis rarely went to the market. It was a chore for him.

“Francis, watch your pocket very well. There are lots of pocket pickers around here” his younger sister called out. “And don’t act like you have money with you. They somehow can detect.”

Francis felt his back pocket. His slim and almost empty wallet was still intact. “Thank you”

They had turned around the market twice in search of a material there mother wanted to sew for a function the coming weekend. Francis could not understand why his sister would not buy what she wanted from one shop. She would check all the available shops and finally settle for one.

“Ebube, why are we going in circles? I thought we have been here before” Francis pointed out. He nodded in the direction of the shop as they approached it.

“If you come to the market alone, let me teach you something. You must make sure you get what you want at the best possible price. If you buy it in one shop, you would surprise that you can get the same thing at half the price in another shop. So you have to keep checking till you find the best price.” She said smiling and nudging him with her shoulder

“Ok.  So they do not sell things at the same price?”

“Most times. But not all the time. And secondly, I often use it to check for original materials”

“How?”

“Sometimes you might have to visit a couple. You might be lucky to find a shop where they seel both fake and original. And they would tell you.”

“You mean it?”

“Sure”

Then she turned to the shop attendant. “So how much is this material?”

“Its two thousand five hundred per yard. ”

“Haba. I see somebody give me for one thousand eight hundred?”

“Na fake. I get that one thousand eight too. Come inside come see am”

Ebube looked at her brother. He smiled back. They followed the attendant into the shop.

There were different array of beautiful materials hanging from a long rod hung somewhere up the wall. There were white and orange patterns on a material that hung almost from the top of the wall to the bottom. It was beautiful. There were also blue and silver designs of the same pattern. Francis could not believe what the shop owner had put together inside the shop.

The attendant took a long stick and pushed aside some material that were hung and she carefully pull off a golden material from the rest of the hung materials. When she finally got it down, she said, “Oya come and see wetin I dey talk”

They moved closer to her. She explained how to differentiate an original from a fake. Explained to them the thread lining and the finishing. She showed them another piece of the same material that was the original. She showed them how to feel the material and how they could trace the thread work to determine its authenticity.

Francis left his sister to negotiate the price while he walked around to feel other materials. His eyes were glued on the orange and white.

“Hello” a rather distant but yet familiar voice called.

Francis turned around to see a young pregnant woman standing behind him.

“Oh sorry. I was just checking the materials…”

“Francis, it’s me Victoria.”

Francis looked at her and then, the face began to look familiar. It was his ex-girlfriend.

“Oh really? Look at you, you’ve changed a lot” Francis said.

They hugged.

“Yeah? Obviously, you haven’t” She replied.

“Well… What have you been up to all this years?”

“I went to the US to take my masters. It was there I got married. I’m work with BlueLane Consulting now. What about you?”

“Long story jare. Not had a job all this time. Been searching for one though…” he let the words trail.

“This country is such a terrible place. If geniuses like you don’t get a job then I wonder who should.”

Francis shrugged.

Ebube joined them.

“Hello”

“Hi. Oh you came as well?”

Ebube did not recognize the face.

“You too don’t remember me?”

Ebube cocked her eyes as if to look at the face with more attention. She shook her head.

“You mean it? Jeez, I must have changed a lot…”

“Sorry, please pardon me. Can you remind me?” Ebube asked.

“It’s me Victoria”

“Victoria…” Ebube tried to connect the name and the face. It still did not connect.

“I used to date your brother…”

Ebube eyes lightened up. “Oh my God, look at you? You’ve changed a lot”

They hugged.

“Same thing your brother said. But how now?”

“You added weight for starters. And you look smashing mehn”

Victoria smiled. “Thank you. I guess it’s because I’m pregnant. ”

“Maybe… So what have you been up to?”

“I’ve been here and there jare…”

“I can see” Ebube smiled.

“You guys came to pick up some materials?” Victoria asked looking at the bag Ebube was carrying.

“Yeah” Francis cut in quickly.

“I saw you from afar off but I wasn’t sure whether you were the one. So I came into the shop to be sure and viola, here you are” Victoria had some excitement in her voice.

“I have not changed much I guess cos I won’t have recognized you, honestly.”

“You actually have a little. You don’t keep your beards before”

“Yeah abi”

“Vicky. Vicky.” A voice called out from outside the shop.

“I’m coming Jennifer.” Then Victoria turned to Ebube. “I have to go. I came with my friends. It was really nice to meet you guys again.”

She waved them goodbye and then, almost as quickly as she came, she disappeared into the crowd.

Ebube looked at her brother. He had a sullen look on his face.

“Francis, she looked really great.” She tried to start a conversation

“Yeah…” He managed to say.

She rubbed his arm. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” He rubbed his palm over his head looking away. His face looked a little swollen.

“Something is wrong. It’s written all over your face. If you don’t want to tell, that’s fine but I can tell.”

“Really?” he managed to pull a smile.

“Francis, I’ve known you all my life and I know when you are worried.”

“Don’t worry teddy chums.” That’s what he calls his sister.

He thought about the vent that just happened. Victoria has been out of the country for her masters, she back working with the same company that turned him down. And on top of that she’s pregnant and happily married. He wanted to choke. He wondered what would have been going on through her mind while they spoke. She must be thanking her luck that she had not gone ahead with him. Maybe she would be in a deplorable state as he was. She’s better than him now in every way. God but why?

“Francis, Francis.” Ebube nudged him with her shoulder.

“Sorry jare.” He jolted out of his thought.

“I knew it. Something is bothering you. Is it because of Victoria? You are thinking how well she had turned out?”

“Not that…”

“Then what exactly is it?”

“You worry too much my dear”

“See who is talking. I know it must be tough seeing her and all buh… you have to pull yourself together and get strong.”

“Whatever…”

“Can you imagine what the fake of this material was like? The resemblance is striking…” she wanted to change the subject.

“Yeah. I learnt something new today.”

“I did ooo. I hope mama like this material sha..?”

“Why?”

“I dunno…” She said, feeling the material.

“She definitely will. Would you like some ice cream?”

“I don’t mind ooo.”

                                                *   *   *               

“Who was that guy?” Jennifer asked her friend.

Victoria was looking for something in her bag. “Ohhhh. Where did I keep this phone now?”

“You can’t find your phone?”

“I’m still checking. I remember putting it in my bag” she emptied all the content on her laps. Then, she started to comb the contents. She found it.

“Oh thank God. I found it”

“You know for a second, I thought maybe it had been stolen…”

“I thought so too.”

“Ok, I was asking you who that guy was.”

“I use to date him”

“Really?”

“Yeah, it like five years ago now”

“Wooow!”

“Abi. How time flies”

“I thought he was an old colleague of yours”

“Well, in a way he was.”

“How?”

“We met during our youth service.”

“Hmmmm. Interesting. So, what happened?”

“Long story…”

“Na so.”

Jennifer was at the wheels. She was driving at close to 50km/h. The road was small and there were lots of cars parked along the sides of the road.

Victoria continued, “This life is funny sha...”

“What happened?”

“I broke up with that guy after two years.”

“Why?”

“Well, the guy wasn’t forth coming financially. I had to move on...”

“You see. That’s why I don’t date all these young shall grow fellas. I’m not from surulere. I no get time abeg. If the guy no get money, fashy quick quick”

They both laughed.

“We really loved each other at the time... Thinking about it now, I a little emotional”

“Ehya, keep the love story for your kids. Abegi. The thing about some of these guys; they say they love you, you patiently wait for them to make it. When they finally make it, they go and meet somebody younger and ‘better’”

“Abii. Honestly, I’m glad I did not stay with him. He had not changed much from the time we used to date. ”

“You see how this useless boys end up ruining our lives as ladies? They have no ambition. No future. And yet, they want to get married. God forbid. I am going to marry a rich man, I tell you. I no get time to waste abeg.”

“Hmmmm. Rich with a richer future.”

“Yes ke”

“But you should settle down soon ooo jenny”

“Very soon. And its going to be big”

“So who is the lucky man?”

“One very rich lawyer. He is a SAN. The guy hold money abeg. Rich. No, very wealthy. You need to see his office at Ikoyi, its awesome. This place is furnished to taste. Mehn, this guy is a super big boy.”

“So, is he married?”

“I think so. But what’s my business with that. Abegi”

“Jenny, you can't be running after married men. You will get burnt badly.”

“Me? Impossible. It is the man that would get burnt badly I tell you” She said, smacking the steering with her palm.

“There are lots of rich unmarried men out there. Why are you after rich married men?”

“They have something to loose and they are more careful. The unmarried ones are unrepentant randy chauvinist. You can never trust them. They have nothing to loose compared to the married men.”

“So what's the story with this man?”

“The man has began to whine lately. Telling me, his wife this, his wife that…”

“And…”

“I told him I’m pregnant for him.”

“What did he say?”

“He said he’s not the father of the baby. He said he’s so sure of that and I should never call him again…”

“Are you… preganant?”

“I’m not sure. I’m, just feeling symptoms”

“Symptoms? How?”

“I just know jare. Lemme alone.”

“this thing might back fire ooo”

“Back fire how? I know how to handle him.”

“What do you intend to do?”

Suddenly, “See this useless driver” she yelled at the yellow bus that almost hit her side mirror. She winds down the glass and screamed at the driver. “You are a very mad man. You must be stupid. Is that how to drive? Are you blind?”

The yellow bus driver ignored her and drove off.

She wind up the glass and looks at her friend. “Some drivers should be arrested and locked up for good. Did you see that?”

“That how they drive. I don’t often drive to the market in Lagos. I take a cab instead. This public bus drivers and sick folks.”

“No not sick. They are mad and foolish. And they need to be jailed. The guy almost broken my side mirror. I was trying to tell him. He just ignored me and drove off.”

“That’s how they behave.”

“Mtsheeeeeeeew”

“Calm down jhoor” Victoria fumbled with her hair. “I need to fix my hair”

“What style do you want to do?”

“I don’t know yet”

“I also want to do mine as well”

“What do you want to do?”

“I saw this really lovely style on Kim”

“Who is Kim? Lil Kim”

“No Ice Kim. Kim Kardashian”

“Oh really? Big girls”

“Yes so. I will show you the picture. I have it on my phone. You know Kim and I have the same face”

“I hear you. Where’s your phone?”

“It should be in my purse.”

Victoria grabbed her friend’s purse and pulled out the phone.

“What’s your password?”

“I’m stunning”

“Huh?”

“I’m stunning. Its one word.”

“I’,m as in I A M or is it with the apostrophe?”

“Yeah. With the apostrophe.”

“Ok. I’m in.”

“Just click on the pictures icon..”

“I know how to use a Samsung phone my dear”

“Ok then. Have you seen it? It should be like the fifth picture…”

“Ok, yeah, I see it. Its nice oooo. I may try it too.”

“You don’t have the face for it”

“Yeah and who says?”

“No seriously you need to have that kind of face to pull it off. You know your face matters with what kind of hair you wear…?”

“Abegi leave story jhoor. So na you come get the face abi? With this you slim long nose.”

“That’s the idea.”

“But the hair is lovely though.”

“And I’ve got the right stylist for the job”

“Hairesense?”

“No. I found this really good stylist. She works with goodlooks.”

“I heard about goodlooks. Everyone seems to be talking about goodlooks lately.”

“They are the hairstylist for many red carpet events in Nigeria. I heard one of them in in high deman. Her name is Amaka. She’s very good. Did yu watch the musicvideo awards?”

“No. Why?”

“Most of the artiste had their hair made by Amaka. I mean she’s that good.”

“She’s going t be very expensive ooo”

“Before nko. I’m not the one paying for it so why worry. Abegi”

“So wh is paying?”

“I met this handsome dude. He just came into the country 4days ago. He is rich. I mean this guy has fleets of expensive cars in his garage. His house is not of this world…”

“Hmmmhmmm”

“We went to the club the day he arrived. This guy was doling out dollars. I mean dollars mehn.”

“Be careful ooo.”

“What?”

“What does he do?” Victoria asked trying to pry.

“He is a business man. Who cares anyway? It’s not like I’m his mother or something.”

“How did you meet him?”

“He’s younger brother is a friend of mine. Used to toast me buh I did not like him. So he called me and told me there’d be a party. His elder brother was coming to town and was throwing a party. So I went and we met and the rest is history.”

“Na wa…”

“Yesterday, he called me to tell me he had wired some money into my account. The guy like me a lot. And interestingly we come from the same village in Akwa Ibom. See his village, see mine just beside it.”

“Interesting”

“I think he came back to get a wife…”

“So you think you guys can be husband and wife?”

“The kind of money that guiy has is really tempting. Buh, I don’t want to marry young rich guys like him.”

“And that’s because…?”

“he can afford girls like me ten times over and he has nothing to loose.”

“So you are bent on married men no matter what?”

“No necessarily married men. Rich and wealthy widowers and divorcees are in line.”

“Jeez, Jenny you are something else.”

“Well… I’m blessed I think?”

“Indeed.”

“Check my phone; you should see his picture…”

“Ok.”

*   *   *

Martins sat at the foot of the flight of stairs that led into the Jasper Radio Office. This was the seventh station he had brought his debut CD and was turned down. He had always wanted to be an artiste. Many of his contemporaries had moved on with their lives. He was stuck in his dream of becoming a superstar. He dreamt about it every night.

He looked at the debut CD. The case was bright green and white at the edge. There was a picture of him with a microphone in his left hand on the front cover. He had borrowed money from his friends to produce his songs.  He elder brother had to sell his Nike boots to help him raise some money. Now all that effort sat in the CD he held in his hand. He wanted to smash the little plastic on the floor till it was ruined to pieces. He was tempted as angry emotions ran through his veins. He could feel his temple pounding and his mandible tightening.

The explosion of the entertainment industry in Nigeria is giving birth to a lot of hopefuls. Many like Martins could be seem around with their big earpiece hanging from their neck.

Someone said him one day, “You better give up on this music and get something else doing. Now that Wizkid is making it big, every young boy is following his footstep…”

“That’s them but not me” he had replied that day.

He looked down at his new plimsol. It was ridden with dust from the amount of walking he had had to do. He stood up to shake the dust off his shoes. He could hear voices coming from somewhere up the stairs. He waited to listen. But the voices were inaudible. He tried the first four flights up the stairs. The vices became a little audible.

“Imagine? After all the work I’ve done on this track..? These guys are so heartless” One voice was saying.

“Guy, lets go jhoor. Let’s go to Cool FM. I heard they are better supporters there…” another voice said.

“Na the samething we go see. If you don’t have money, your song will not be played, I tell you.”

“Guy, let’s go and try abeg. What’s the worst that can happen? They would turn jus down abi?”

Martins could hear their footfalls getting closer. He ran down the short flight and went around the corner. He hid himself behind a small-unhooked door that was laid against the wall. The door was unoperational, obviously.

The two figures came around the corner. Martins pretended to make a call.

They just walked past him oblivious of their immediate environment—they just walked past him. He watched as they walked towards their car and drove off.

Then he turned around and headed home. He had his big headphones fitted to his face cap as he strutted quietly home. He was listening to his song.

*   *   *

Adora changed the path she was walking. She moved on to the next aisle where baby goods were sold. She was looking at the baby toys. She wanted t buy a toy for her niece.

She had picked two toys and wasn’t sure which would best suit. She walked to one of the attendants, “hi, please I need your help”

The attendant turned giving her her attention. “How can I help you?”

“I want t pick a toy for my niece’s birthday but I don’t know what color to pick. Should I take the pink or the green? I know pink is a female color but this green is lovely”

The attendant smiled. “You may just pick both of them” she smiled

“No. I can’t pick both of them. Haba. I’d rather not buy anyone and pick something else…”

“The pink looks much better and since you are buying it for a girl, pink should be ok.” She shrugged.

Adora inspected the two items again. She walked back to the rest of the toys and dropped both items.

All this time, Morris was watching her on the other aisle. He slowly approached her.

Adora walked back to the items and stood for a minute. Then she saw a young man walk towards the same toy and she noticed he was approaching the green toy she had picked up earlier.

“Sorry, I was coming for that one…” Adora said.

Morris looked surprised. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah, I’m so sorry”

“No that’s fine. ” He picked it up and gave it to her. “I was eyeing this green one.”

“I also was. You think its better than the pink one?” she asked.

Morris picked up the pink one and acted to inspect it. “Its not bad. But that light green color looks much cuter.”

“I thought so too. Thank you anyway.” She started to walk away.

“It’s no problem. For your daughter?”

“No. For my niece.” She replied as she walked away.

She did not hear Morris say ok.

Morris walked the opposite direction. He could not help thinking how beautiful she looked. She was stunning. Sometimes he wondered if Jide had the upper hand. He wasn’t going to give up.

He looked up to determine what direction she had walked. He could see she wasn’t far away.

He turned the corner making an almost 45 degree turn that brought him some meters away from her. She was picking up some groceries in a small cart she was pushing. She looked up to see him walking in her direction. She smiled at him and in almost the same second she was back to checking her groceries.

Morris approached.

“Hello”

She looked up. “Hi”

“I can’t help but ask…”

Adora had the suspicious look on her face.

“My name is Morris…” He introduced himself.

Adora wasn’t giving him her complete attention. She was looking a body lotion she had picked up. “Morris, how can I help you?” She tried to be polite.

“Ok, I know this might sound a little bizzare but are you married?”

That got her attention. She gave him a suspicious and almost shocked look. “Excuse me?”

“Yeah, I know…”

She started to walk away. “Please, excuse me”

Morris followed her.

“I’m sorry if I scared you. That wasn’t my intention…”

“Have you been stalking me?”

“Stalking you? How?”

She didn’t reply. She went on shopping.

“Ok, first of all, I’m not stalking you. I just wanted to ask you to have drink with me…” Morris pushed.

She didn’t reply.

Morris did not push further. He turned and walked away. He did not notice Adora looking at him as he walked away. She was disgusted and at the same time amazed at how much impetus he had.  

She smiled. Guys are just amazing.

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CHAPTER 7 Coming Soon

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