Chapter 5: Business as Usual

Morayo send me message. For front of all the red exclamation marks and green message boxes, the white box with black text stand out well. Her name dey display again, blue tick, no more 'blocked'. My mind just weak, I laugh small.

E mean say Morayo don comot me from blacklist. Na big deal. For months, I dey beg her unblock me, now na she rush message me. I just laugh inside me, half dey mock myself. See life—who dey chase who now? Irony no dey ever finish.

Morayo tell me make I come her office tomorrow, Monday. Her lawyer go prepare the agreement. She straight to the point, no time for plenty talk. I just nod, reply simple 'Okay'.

After we both talk and agree, we go sign and wait for the divorce cooling-off period. Na so e be. Lagos no dey wait for anybody, even for divorce, process dey.

Monday reach, I show for Morayo company as we plan. I wake up early, iron shirt wey still get small tear for armpit. Bus go slow for traffic, but I reach on time.

Because I no get appointment, the receptionist call first. "Yes, one Mr. Kunle." She speak with that sharp Lekki accent, voice high like person wey dey sell hair for Instagram, her nails long like BRT queue. As she dey talk, she dey chew gum, mouth dey go gbam-gbam. From outside, suya smell dey enter the lobby—Lagos never dull.

After she drop, she tell me make I go CEO office floor, say secretary go carry me. She just look me once, point elevator, her face straight—no smile.

I thank her, go straight up. Na one young woman I no know receive me. She short, hair still fresh from hairnet, look me up and down. Na new face. Since me and Morayo separate, I never come here for like six months. Before, na my second home. Now, na stranger I be for this office.

She be new staff, I guess. She dey walk like person wey dey learn road. I just follow her gently.

"Mr. Kunle, abeg wait here. Madam Morayo dey meeting."

She talk am with respect, but I see say she dey size me. She no know me too. As she call me 'Mr. Kunle', I just nod. E pain me small, but I hold face.

She call me Mr. Kunle, lead me enter reception room. The room cold, AC dey blast. No be like before wey I go just stroll inside Morayo office without knock.

Before, I dey always wait inside Morayo office. Back then, Morayo go say make I relax, order food for me. Now, na only receptionist dey offer water. Receptionist offer me bottle water, but my mind dey crave cold Malt. Her meetings dey last at least one hour. She sabi work, dey always busy. I dey use the time check my phone, scroll Twitter.

I no like to dey wait for person. I dey restless. My leg dey shake. Morayo sabi this, so she keep plenty books and films for her office. She dey always plan for me, say 'Kunle, make you no bored.' That time, love still dey sweet us.

"You fit read book or watch film. If you tire, rest for lounge and wait for me."

She dey talk am gently that time. Now, her voice no dey reach me again, na just memory remain.

Last time I come, all my things for her office don change. Everything—my mug, my jacket—don vanish. New person dey enjoy the space. Na another person dey enter her private lounge now. I sabi say na Tunde get key now. E pain me, but wetin man go do?

Now, if I wan see her, na only for normal reception room I fit wait. Even the small plant I give her don die. Receptionist just dey smile plastic smile.

But I no even get power to argue for all these small things again. Energy no dey. I just calm, dey count ceiling tiles.

So I just wait quietly. I sip water, check phone, press Twitter small. Time dey plenty anyway. I no even dey look clock again, na just dey observe people.

But I no expect say I go wait two hours this time. My mind dey count every person wey waka pass. Hunger dey bite me small. Danfo horn dey blast from road, people dey argue price for outside, but inside here everywhere just cold. Nobody still come call me to see Morayo.

People dey waka pass, nobody dey call 'Mr. Kunle'. Na wa o.

"Abeg, Madam Morayo meeting never finish?"

I ask the young woman wey carry me. She hesitate. "Madam Morayo still dey meeting..."

She dey shake small. You go know say e get wetin she dey hide.

I frown, wan talk. I adjust my chair, clear throat, wan para small.

Suddenly, I hear laugh and gist for near my side.

"Make we go that restaurant chop lunch."

"No wahala."

My ear sharp. Na their voice—laughter get one rhythm wey no dey lie.