Chapter 2: Sleep Wey No Get Enemy

After two months of non-stop overtime, finally landing one big client, the HR manager, Aunty Kemi, come my office by herself.

Aunty Kemi no dey waka waka anyhow for sales floor. But that day, she march enter my cubicle, wrapper tie well, perfume dey follow am. "Thank God say you dey here o. If not, this year we for no meet our performance target."

"No wahala, na team work," I reply her politely, as I dey always do.

I still dey do small humble, even though inside me, I dey proud of my hard work. If you no humble for Naija office, dem fit say you dey form.

"Nothing urgent dey now. You fit take small break, rest for two days."

She talk am like person wey dey care, but as I dey look her face, I no too trust. Still, temptation dey. Normally, I no too like waka, but after two months wey I dey sleep only three or four hours every day, my body don taya. My chest sef dey always do gra-gra.

I look her, my body dey beg for sleep. You know say when person dey work too much, even small rest go be like gold.

Now, say make I rest—of course e sweet me.

Even my head dey dance small inside, because body don dey complain. As I dey imagine myself for bed, cool fan, no phone calls—omo, na paradise. I imagine myself for house, generator dey hum, small fan dey blow my leg, no alarm to wake me.

May Day holiday dey, I fit use am go hospital do checkup, then relax for house. E make sense.

Hospital matter na serious something. As my people dey talk, if health spoil, hustle go pause. Na why I no dey joke with my body again, especially after one of my friends collapse for office last year.

I quickly fill leave form, give am to Aunty Kemi.

I write am with biro, sharp-sharp, then go her office. I no wan delay so dem no go change mouth later.

She just sign am sharp-sharp, approve am for my front.

She use her red pen, stamp the paper, even yarn me say, "Enjoy your rest, o!" I thank her well, smile join.

So, as my colleagues dey look me with jealousy for office, I waka comot with confidence.

Dem dey form say dem no care, but I see as Shade for back dey squeeze face. Na so I carry my bag like person wey win lottery.

First stop, hospital—I go do full body checkup. With the way work dey go, I no fit joke with my health.

Na for General Hospital I go. Nurse dey wonder why young person dey do full test, but I no gree slack. Dem run blood, BP, everything. Doctor say make I rest well, my stress too much. Doctor even talk say, "If you no slow down, e fit turn to hypertension. No let Lagos wahala finish you."

Afterwards, I enter keke go house, sleep immediately as I reach bed.

I no even remove cloth finish, na so sleep carry me. For Lagos, sleep na luxury—so I enjoy am like king.

When I wake up, na already afternoon for next day.

Mosquito no even disturb me. I wake, check time, shock. Na so body dey when you tire.

I pick my phone, see plenty missed calls.

About ten missed calls, three WhatsApp messages, my phone dey hot. Heart begin dey beat.

Still dey dizzy, I call back.

I dey pray say e no be emergency. I call the first number wey look important.

"Hello, I see say you call me. Wetin happen?"

Voice from the other side clear, but e sound like person wey dey wait answer since.

"Hello, na procurement department from Akumazi Group. I wan know more about your company product."

I first pause. Akumazi Group na big fish for town. Everybody for sales dey dream make dem call am.

Once I hear 'Akumazi', sleep clear from my eye.

Omo, na now my real work start. Opportunity no dey knock two times for this city.

That group na top people for this city. I dey always find way reach them.

If I fit nail this deal, na big thing for company—and for my career. I dey happy.

I no expect say na them go call me first.

Na so my head just dey calculate. Na God do am for me.

I jump up.

I no even brush, na so excitement catch me.

"I go send our product overview to you now-now. If you want more details, just tell me, I go follow up immediately. E dey okay?"

I talk as if I no just wake up from deep sleep. Na that sharpness dey help for sales work.

After the person confirm, I rush go baff, grab bread, chop as I dey wear shoe, then run comot.

I dey chop dry Agege bread, dey pull trouser one leg, dey find charger for under chair. Na so Lagos dey run. Hunger no fit kill hustle.

As I reach company gate, I jam our intern, Musa.

Musa dey always dey shy, but today e face dey dull. I hail am, expect say he go respond with smile.

"Ah-ah, Musa, see as we jam!"

I try lighten the mood, but e no gree look my eye.

I hail am, wan ask make he help me arrange and proofread product materials.

Normally, na him dey arrange file for me. But today, e just dey twist hand for back.

But Musa just dey look me somehow, like person wey wan talk but dey fear.

His face dey like person wey dey carry heavy gist wey no sweet.

I pause, wait make he talk.

I give am space, look am well, maybe he go open mouth.

E look ground, shuffle leg, like pikin wey dem catch for kitchen. His sigh long. Na as if wahala dey ground and e no wan be the first to talk.

I confuse. "Hear wetin?"

Na now my mind start dey worry. You know when people dey hide matter from you.

Musa sigh again, just talk, "Anyway, I go always support you."

The way he talk am, my mind just dey run. Something serious dey happen wey I no know.

He waka comot sharp-sharp, face dey red.

He waka go staff room. Even as he dey go, e turn look me two times. E pain me, but I gats focus.

No time for long talk, so I enter company, still dey wonder.

As I dey walk enter building, my heart dey beat kpokpo. Office dey too quiet.

But as I step inside, almost all my colleagues dey look me. Their eyes dey do like Musa own.

Na so everybody dey act one kind. Some dey avoid eye contact, some dey shake head. Wetin dem hide?

Wetin dey happen?