Chapter 4: Inspector for Window

From that day, I no fit stop myself—I turn peeping tom for their matter.

I try lie give myself say na just science observation I dey do. But deep down, I dey enjoy the danger, the small guilt, as if I dey watch forbidden film. This Lagos breeze, e dey carry temptation come your window.

For outside, I dey look like big man—one popular science blogger wey get millions of followers for Facebook and WhatsApp.

For my compound, people dey greet me, dey call me "Prof". Dem no know say at night, na another profession I dey run for window side. My WhatsApp group dey always dey hot, but for my mind, na Morayo matter dey my head.

But for inside, shame just dey my mind. Guilt dey bite me for chest.

Sometimes, I go dey pray make I fit stop, make Morayo no catch me one day. My conscience go dey worry me, especially when I remember my church pastor warning: "Curiosity dey kill cat o!"

But at the same time, I dey enjoy the rush wey dey follow as I dey spy on another person life. The thing dey sweet me in a way I no fit explain.

Na true, that forbidden fruit dey always get extra sugar. As I dey peep, my chest dey hammer like generator wey no wan gree start, but I dey smile like thief wey escape security man.

I no even know why I get this kind crazy urge, but that one no stop me from dey watch them.

I go tell myself, "Oga, you don try, rest." But as night reach, I go find myself for window again. Na so temptation dey work.

To make my fantasy easy, I start to dey call the fine woman Morayo, and the guy, for now, Chuka.

I no even sure if na their real name. But as I dey watch too many Nollywood movies, the names just fit their face. E make the whole matter dey easier for my mind.

Why those names? Maybe na because I don dey watch too many Nollywood reviews recently.

I dey follow one Twitter thread wey dey analyze old Aki and Pawpaw movies. I dey laugh say, if my own life enter film, who go act my part?

To observe them well, I even change some old habits.

Before, I dey do my livestream for night. But since I see Morayo that first day, I shift my streaming go afternoon—make I get time for night to dey peep.

No be easy decision. Some of my followers dey complain for comment section, say dem prefer night gist. But man must do wetin go make am happy.

But you know as human being be—desire no dey ever satisfy. Me sef no be exception.

As I dey watch Morayo every night, my mind dey run wild. Body dey pepper me, but I dey control myself.

At first, just to dey look Morayo through my telescope dey satisfy me.

I dey get one kain joy just dey see how she dey move. Her small dance after bath, the way she dey arrange her bed, everything dey enter my eye.

But small small, that one no dey do me again. My mind begin push me, I start to dey time when Morayo dey come out, so I fit follow her waka.

I plan am like MI5. I dey dress low-key, wear face cap, dey waka for street like say I dey go buy suya. No be small thing.

Na so I discover say she dey work for braid stand.

The day I see her for there, she dey braid one aunty hair, dey gist about one Arsenal match. I even waka pass, pretend say I dey look for bike. Na so I take sabi her working hours well.

After two months, I don almost know all their routine finish. But I come notice one strange thing.

I dey keep mental record like police—when Chuka dey come, when Morayo dey go, who dem dey talk to. My head dey work like NTA reporter.

Every time wey e reach to chop, na Chuka dey always deliver food give Morayo.

If you see as e dey do am, you go think say na professional. E go package jollof rice, mineral, sometimes meat pie, and just drop am for her table.

As delivery guy, to bring food for your babe or wife no strange. But the thing wey shock me be say, anytime Chuka bring food, he no dey talk any extra word.

The guy just dey drop food, wave, waka go. No hug, no smile, no "how far." As if dem no get anything. The matter confuse me.

Even when Morayo colleagues dey ask her about am, she go just cut the matter short, deny say she no get anything with Chuka.

"Abeg, na just delivery," she go talk, dey laugh like say the matter dey funny. But her eye go dodge their own. Na only sharp observer go catch that kain thing.

But anybody wey get eyes go know say something dey between them.

If na Yoruba woman see that kain thing, she fit talk say, "Irin ni iranti," meaning, all these waka na for memory. Me, I just dey reason wetin dey happen.

After all, how e go be say na only one delivery guy dey always bring you food?

Even mama Chidinma for shop don notice, she talk say, "My pikin, you sure say dem no dey run something?"

Her stubborn denial just add another level of mystery.

Na so I begin dey reason—maybe dem get one secret agreement or dem dey avoid wahala. My curiosity dey boil.

My curiosity come dey burn. Different theories dey fly for my mind:

For my mind, I dey imagine Nollywood plot—maybe na family no want make dem dey together, or e fit be say dem dey run from village juju.

Maybe na secret affair. Maybe forbidden love. Or e fit even be just business matter.

This Lagos, anything fit happen. Maybe dem just dey run street hustle, dey form couple to confuse people.

With all these questions, I start dey find answer.

I buy new jotter, dey write any small thing I observe. I even dey keep time for each movement like police detective. See as I don turn Inspector Bediako.

To be honest, I dey like cockroach wey dey hide for darkness, but for my mind, I dey feel like god, dey control other people fate.

Sometimes, I go laugh myself say, "Oga, you dey overdo." But that feeling of power, e sweet me small. E dey different from the way I dey run my blog.

I no know why, but anytime I dey spy them, I dey feel somehow above them—like say I get one kind power.

I dey tell myself, "See as you dey watch people life like film." I dey feel say I sabi everything, but deep down, I know say na illusion.

I dey laugh myself for this my yeye thinking, but the truth be say, the thing dey sweet me.

Life no too hard when you fit just observe and no need to involve yourself. For my mind, I dey play god, but na lie.

From all I see, none of those theories fit. First, I never see any third person for their house. Second, the way dem dey act no match all those my guesses.

No side chick, no strange uncle, no visitor. Na only two of them. E be like say dem dey run one coded mission I no fit understand.

So why dem dey hide their relationship?

I go dey ask myself, "Abi dem dey run from police? Abi Chuka get wife for village?" Lagos get too many stories wey no dey surface.

One more thing I notice: Chuka get energy. Every night, dem dey do at least once, even though e no dey last.

I dey calculate for my mind—how this guy dey fit run this kind marathon every night? Even as e short, at least e dey try. I dey rate am 4/10 for stamina.

Plenty times, I go see Morayo by window, dey look outside with one kind sad face.

Sometimes, she go hold cup of tea, dey stare sky like person wey dey pray for better tomorrow. My chest dey pain me when I see that look.

I no sabi wetin dey her mind, but I feel say e get to do with how dem dey cold to each other for daytime.

Her body language dey show say she dey expect more—maybe love, maybe attention. I fit relate; Lagos fit lonely even when you dey surrounded by people.

All this just dey make me more curious.

I begin dey feel like detective for one African Magic series. Every small clue dey make me dey reason new theory.

As science blogger, curiosity dey worry me. Once mystery hook you, you no go rest until you find answer.

I remember my secondary school teacher, Miss Nnenna, wey dey always talk: "Curiosity dey push person reach where leg no fit carry am come back."

I watch Morayo for long, but nothing come out.

Sometimes, I dey almost talk to her for my mind: "Madam, abeg show small sign, make I understand wetin dey happen." But na only silence I dey get.

Since I no fit get answer from her side, I decide to focus on Chuka.

I dey plan my movement well—if I fit track Chuka for a day, maybe I go see something.

But problem dey: as delivery guy, Chuka dey waka the whole city. If I follow am anyhow, he go notice.

Lagos get as e be. If you dey tail person, you go dey careful. I dey plan my movement like police undercover.

But I no gree give up.

I tell myself, "Who no risk, no dey chop." I dey ready for wahala, just to get small gist.

After I reason am well, I decide say I go go check things by myself. As long as I dey careful, nothing go happen.

I tie scarf, wear cheap slippers, blend with keke drivers for junction. For this Lagos, na only agbero sabi all the routes.