Chapter 3: Seven Days, No Touch

For house, I no fit hold am. I ask, “So, when you go make me hammer?”

E just waka enter bathroom straight.

I dey look am as e dey go, towel for hand. E dey move like say na runway e dey do. I shake my head.

When e come out, im hair still dey wet, water dey drop from im chest go down disappear inside towel for im waist!

My blood pressure rise, I shake my head make temptation commot, force myself talk, “Hammer!”

I turn my face small, but I still dey peep for mirror. If person say e no go look, na lie e dey lie!

After e dry im hair, e sit down for sofa, on top financial news channel—Channels TV dey show CBN rate, fox spirit just dey nod like say e be bank manager—come finally talk, “I get seven days to observe you. If you no fit hold yourself for those seven days, I go leave. If you fit, I go help you hammer.”

E talk am like judge. I dey wonder if e be village elder for spirit land.

“….”

This one sure for im own market!

But to talk true, my heart dey shake!

I dey suspect say this guy don jazz me—I dey reason am anyhow.

E get spirit energy wey dey scatter my normal calculation. My head dey spin like generator wey dem never service.

I dey follow plenty fine boys for Facebook, but I never see abs like Femi own—clean, e dey sweet for eye!

The kind muscle e get, na only for Nollywood film I dey see am before. If to say I fit touch am…like suya wey just dey roast—hot, spicy, everybody wan taste.

But for money sake, I go endure!

My mama always talk say, "Na patient dog dey chop biggest bone." This time, I go endure am.

Once I get money, which man I no fit get?

I waka go bathroom, throway face back, “No worry, I no even send you!”

As I dey bath, I dey reason how I go package myself, make I dey shine even if temptation dey fly for air.

After I baff finish, I wear one small slip dress, dey dry my hair for front of am, mirror dey show everything, I sef begin dey shy!

I do small catwalk go parlour, but my mind dey tell me say this one fit overdo.

Abeg, I fine for human being o—how I go gree make fox spirit pass me?

But!

E just frown, talk, “Miss Amara, you dey block TV.”

See as person kill all my vibe. I commot face like say I dey search remote.

...Oya na!

I decide say no wahala, I go show am packaging. For the next seven days, na show-off competition!

E go dey waka without shirt, I go wear im shirt.

E go wear grey sweatpants run morning, I go wear bikini swim.

E dey do ab crunches for balcony early momo, I go sit near am dey do waist exercise…

Na so dem dey do for Instagram, I say make I try am small, maybe e go look my side.

Nobody wan gree!

You need see as both of us dey eye each other—like two cats dey protect fish for pot.

But to talk true, na packaging I dey do.

My body dey hot, but I dey form say I no send.

When I see my bestie own fox spirit, jealousy wan finish me!

That one dey glow—she even dey form like say e no dey tire her, but I sabi truth. Her own no get juju wahala!

No fine reach Femi, but e still pass any normal man!

She dey shine for group chat, dey post food wey e cook for her, dey show small waist for snap. Her fox spirit dey stir ogbono soup, aroma just dey scatter my brain. My bestie no dey comot house again!

Na so I carry groundnut, go visit her—abeg, person need support group for this fox spirit wahala.

As her fox spirit dey cook, my bestie come near me, whisper, “How your own? E dey try?”

“...Never even use am!”

My mouth dey sharp, but my eye dey jealous her.

“Wetin happen? You dey shy? Abeg, fox spirits na just for enjoyment, no need get conscience.”

I wan reply her, but as she finish, her fox spirit appear for back, eye dey shine, small small tears for eye—

“Madam, na just tool I be for you?”

That look, that voice—na real village masquerade style!

I nearly burst laugh, but I just hold am. My bestie freeze, then sharply stand up, dey panic. “No vex! I just dey talk! I like you well well now, na true!”

She dey squeeze her hand like say e fit turn to juju.

The fox spirit no even look my side, just carry her for hand. “Prove am then…”

I just dey signal my bestie with eye—babe, I go see you later o!

My bestie just dey give me eye make I commot!

Na so I waka comot quick, no wan see spirit fight for my front.

No wahala, I sabi road!

I cross street, buy roasted corn, dey reason if na my own fox spirit stubborn pass or na me never try correct password.

Back house, I dey secretly pray: 'God abeg, make temptation no disgrace me for front of spirit.'

As I wrap myself for night, I make one internal vow: If this spirit no help me hammer, I go hammer am myself—no time for Lagos!