Chapter 3: Changing Destiny

I turn, see Ifedayo dey look me, face dark.

Ifedayo face hard, eyes dey burn. I see say e dey reason whether I just dey do too much.

“Why you dey nice to her?”

E voice get small suspicion, but e try hide am. E no like make I dey friendly with Halima at all.

Me: “No be your colleague?”

I try form as if I no see anything, but for my mind, I dey wait e reaction.

“How you take know?”

E face twist, eyebrow high. E dey surprise say I fit put two and two together. Old Amarachi no fit reason like this before.

I wave the document for hand. Ifedayo just look me, then hiss:

I carry the file up, shake am for e face, like say I dey show power. E hiss, like say e no wan accept say I sabi pass old Amarachi.

“So you even sabi read this kind thing?”

E voice get small sarcasm, but I no vex. I just smile, because e surprise say I fit do office matter.

True, before now na only designer bag and clothes dey my mind. Even exam na last minute I dey rush.

I remember all the times wey I no dey read, just dey do slay queen. Now, na work I dey face, try learn sense.

Finally, Ifedayo look up:

E look me with small soft eye, but e no wan show am. E clear throat like say e wan talk serious matter.

“You fit go now.”

E voice short, like say e dey dismiss me. But I know say e no mean am like that, e just dey form strong.

Go now? As I remember how Seyi lock me for store room in the novel, my body just cold.

My mind fly go that part for book wey Seyi use me anyhow. Na fear catch me, I hold my bag tight.

“I no dey go anywhere. Seyi dey always wait me for hostel. I wan stay here.”

I talk am sharp, my eye serious. Ifedayo just look me, dey reason whether I dey lie.

“You sure say you fit manage here? Go lodge for hotel.”

E voice get small concern, but e still dey stubborn. E no wan show say e dey care.

“I no get shishi. Hotel no be for my level.”

I talk am with small laugh, but e true. Even my account balance dry like harmattan. No be say I dey form, na reality.

“You mean say you don finish fifty thousand naira in just seven days?”

E look me up and down, eye wide. E shock say I fit run money like that. But na all this Lagos life—salon, makeup, small shawarma here and there.

I just look am. That time, another knock for door.

Before I fit talk, knock land again. My heart beat pick up. I dey reason whether wahala don reach me.

“Na Mr. Ifedayo house be this? The AC you order don land.”

Voice from outside loud, like person wey dey call customer for market. I open door, see one delivery man dey drag AC.

I open door. The worker confirm details, bring AC inside, begin install.

Dem dey move fast, like dem get another place to go. Dust dey fly, the old curtain self almost fall. I stand for one corner, dey supervise like madam.

Ifedayo: “...Na you buy this one?”

Ifedayo eye big, like say e no believe. E look me, then the worker, then back to me. My mouth just dey corner, I dey hide laugh.

Before he finish, another person show: “Who order bed?”

Na so another truck stop for gate. Dem bring big mattress, new bed frame. The old one look like say e fit break any moment.

Within one hour, fridge, sofa, water heater—all land.

House come dey look like small palace. Even the workers dey hail me, say madam, you get eye for good thing. I just dey smile, dey feel myself.

One mama for corridor just dey peep, dey whisper, "This girl na correct wife material." I just raise eyebrow, my body sweet me.

Ifedayo just sit down for the old bed, dey smoke, no even talk again.

E just dey look, no dey complain. I know say e dey surprise, but e no wan show me say e dey enjoy the upgrade.

After dem finish, one worker tell Ifedayo, “Oga, abeg stand up.”

The man dey polite, but e get urgency for e voice. Ifedayo just stand, dey look as dem arrange new things.

Ifedayo stand, confuse. Dem quickly dismantle the old bed, carry am go.

The old mattress wey get spring wey dey shout for night, dem just carry am outside like say e no mean anything. I see Ifedayo eyes dey follow am, like e dey miss old friend.

Before dem go, dem say, “This na our new trash removal service. Abeg, rate us well.”

Dem dey smile, but I know say na hustle. Na so Lagos dey—anything na opportunity.

Ifedayo face just black.

E no talk, just dey shake head. But I fit see say for inside, e dey happy small.

I too tired to explain, just pick clothes from box, go baff.

I carry my towel, my slippers, waka go bath. The new bathroom dey smell fresh. I sing small, dey enjoy myself.

When I come out, Ifedayo dey read file for sofa.

E sit for new sofa, leg cross, dey look documents. Light from AC dey shine for e face. E look like boss for movie.

Ifedayo clothes too big for me. The collar wey suppose be normal just low for my chest.

I wear him T-shirt, e just dey drop for my body like gown. The neck wide, so e show small skin. I feel breeze for body, I just adjust small.

No hair dryer, so I just towel-dry my hair, let am fall for my shoulder, soak my chest small.

The hair dey drip, wet my neck. I no send, na natural beauty. I even rub small cream, make e shine.

Ifedayo look me, sharply turn away, ears red. He just frown:

As e see me, e eye catch small, then e just turn face. I see say e dey shy, but e form vex.

“I dey go buy something.”

E waka fast, no look back. I know say na because of wet hair and loose shirt, but e no go talk am out.

About fifteen minutes later, he come back with two takeaways.

E come back, hand full with nylon. The nylon dey hot for hand, stew aroma just dey tempt my nose—na so I know say na real love. The smell of food just dey everywhere. I see say e buy from correct buka, because I dey smell of stew and fried plantain.

He open one, begin chop like say food go finish. Then he pull one pink hair dryer from pocket, throw am for my front.

The way e throw am, e do am like person wey no care, but I know say e go find am well. The pink colour na the one wey girls dey like, e even get flower sticker for side.

“I see am for dustbin for road. Use am dry your hair. No go wet my bed.”

The lie sweet me. I know say e buy am for store, but e no wan admit say e care. Na so boys dey do.

Me: “...”

I just smile, plug am, begin dry my hair. For my mind, I dey thank am, but I no talk am out. Sometimes, na action dey talk pass mouth.

This guy mouth no dey match him heart at all.

I look am, my eye soft. For public, e go form, but for inside, e be real guy. Na e make my mind dey rest.

After I dry my hair, Ifedayo don baff. One seafood jollof rice dey table.

The aroma fill room, make my stomach dey turn. The rice get prawn, egg, even small sausage. I know say na big man food be this.

Every rice dey shine with egg, golden, shrimp full top.

The plate dey heavy, the garnish dey neat. I use fork dey turn am, dey enjoy the sight.

But the one wey he chop earlier na just ordinary egg jollof rice.

E dey manage for himself, but e buy correct for me. I reason am—na love be that.

When Ifedayo come out, I dey eat. I look up and freeze.

Him chest still dey drip, towel dey neck. Water just dey shine for e body. Na Greek god style, I no fit lie.

Him never dry him hair, just cover am with towel. Upper body bare, water dey run for him chest and abs, enter him shorts.

I swallow saliva, try hide my face, but e too late. The thing shock me, but I no wan show am.

Ifedayo lips curve up, “You dey drool.”

E eyes dey shine, e dey tease me. I look down quick, feel heat for my cheek.

I quick wipe mouth.

I use tissue, rub mouth sharp, make sure nothing dey. But e just dey look me, dey smile.

...No drool dey there o.

I check again, but na just my own shakara. I just laugh, chop my food.

For night, I sleep for bed, Ifedayo—1.85 meters tall—curl up for sofa, look uncomfortable.

E too long for the sofa, leg dey hang. I pity am small, but na e choose am. I adjust my pillow, cover myself well, no look back.

Na him choose sofa by himself.

If to say e gree sleep for bed, we for share. But I no gree talk too much, make e no reason another thing.

E good for am. I turn face wall.

I smile small, dey enjoy my soft mattress. Na so sleep carry me go.