Chapter 6: Sleep and Eavesdropping

He lay me for bed. The bed soft, I sink inside, my body relax. He even cover me well. The duvet heavy, e warm me well. To talk true, I never sleep well for long. Night dey always hard, sleep dey run from my eyes.

I no even remember last time wey I sleep well. Somebody don change the bedsheet while we dey bathroom, so no be Suleiman scent dey there. I smell rose, lavender—maybe na the house girls arrange am.

I sleep quick pass usual. My dream scatter, secondary school memory just dey rush me. I dey see Suleiman face, I dey hear laugh, I dey run for corridor. Half awake, I hear people dey talk near me. The voice dey hush, but I hear am.

E be like na the house girls—two young girls: "You see the woman wey burst enter meeting room just now?" "Na Madam Zainab, Oga Sule fiancée!" "Ehn? She rude o!" "Oga Sule dey pamper am..." "Why? I never even see her as future madam before..." "I hear—just hear o—say dem just find her some weeks ago!"

"Na because she resemble Oga Sule first love!" "Oga Sule no fit get im first love, so e settle for this one..."

The words sting, but I just dey float inside sleep, the gist dey twist for my dream like rain for harmattan.