Chapter 8: Petty Moves and Serious Calls

I wan cry, tears no come.

But as dem dey talk—bad luck fit turn to better luck.

Since I don provoke am finish.

Make I continue.

He don block me already.

I use style poke am:

[All these oga dem no dey get conscience.]

Na only pikin wey no chop for house go sabi who dey kind.

Message send.

Send successful.

When he unblock me?

I shock, rush patch am:

[But you different, you get human feeling.]

I see for chat say "the other person dey type" dey show.

I wait, wait, finally Mr. Jide reply:

[No need to dey praise me, after all, we no get any special relationship.]

E shock me.

I reason small.

He even deny say we be boss and staff for company.

Abi my plan to make am sack me dey work?

Then he send another one:

[Since you sick, rest well, make 'him' take care of you.]

[I no go disturb you again.]

Him?

I probe: [Who be him? Nobody dey my house now o.]

Suddenly, call enter.

Mr. Jide voice sound like person wey dey rush for road, breeze dey blow for background.

Till everywhere calm small.

Him voice serious: "Tolu, wetin you mean?"

I jump: "Wetin I mean, how?"

"You talk say nobody dey your house now. This 'now'—wetin e mean?"

I look around, goosebumps everywhere.

I dive under duvet, my voice dey shake:

"Person suppose dey my house now?"

"Wetin happen yesterday night?"

"No soul dey, I swear."

Long silence. I hear only my own breathing and the hum of my neighbor generator.

I reason am.

Three hundred rounds...

I quickly realize, rush explain:

"Na joke, abeg, we all be adults, na just cruise..."

"We don know each other since, you know say I no dey wild like that..."

Mr. Jide: "No be certain."

He sigh inside phone.

Me: "Abeg, believe me."

He keep quiet again.

To dey explain this kind thing to boss no too pure.

I wan hang up, end the wahala.

But I hear soft voice: "Make I come see you?"

My body just dey tingle.

Strange feeling.

E dey sweet me and dey worry me.

"Yesterday, now, nobody dey my house, so if you wan come, you fit come."

"If e no go well, no wahala..."

Even if person dey, you fit still come.

My hand wey dey hold phone begin sweat.

Mr. Jide: "Hm?"

Me: "Erm... okay."

Na so I roll for bed, cover face with pillow. My body dey do me like pepper for eye. Omo, this thing wey I dey enter so, no be small matter o!