Chapter 5: Cruise Mistress and Crisis

Yewande light cigarette, come slump beside me.

Her leg cross for mine, she just dey tap ash for old Milo tin. "Smallie, you no see say your sister fine?"

I look her soft face, answer calm, "You fine."

I no wan talk too much. Yewande get wahala, if you give her face, she go dey drag you for fun.

As I talk am, Yewande come near, press body for my own. She whisper for my ear,

Her breath warm, the smoke dey mix with her perfume. "Smallie, sister like you o. I wan date you, kiss you, hug you, even carry you up. If you ask me out, I go gree sharp sharp~"

As I just smile, no talk, she add,

"Ah, Tolu, omo to fine, you dey form!" She wink, click tongue—“Ah, Tolu, omo to fine, you dey form!”

Her voice dey tease me. I dey try hold laugh, but the thing dey sweet me small. I just keep face. "Thanks, sister, but abeg, make we leave am."

I dey try form hard guy, but for inside me, I dey shy. For this parlour, if you fall hand, dem go use you catch cruise.

"You dey form, dey make me chase you… Okay na, baby, I like you…"

She wink, then look me up and down. I no fit shout.

That time, Ruth give me one kind eye, come over to scatter the play.

Her face just change, e be like say mama wey catch pikin for kitchen.

"Oya, no dey disturb Tolu again. Go arrange your makeup."

Her voice no get time for nonsense. Yewande pinch my leg small before she go sit do her makeup.

Her nail sharp, but na play. I just shake head, dey laugh. Yewande na cruise mistress.

I just sigh low. This woman wahala too much.

Even my chest rise and fall. If I talk true, I no dey vex. Sometimes, na this kind wahala dey make work dey sweet.

No be say I no like her, or I no like women. Na just say I never stay long for here, madam dey look, and I need keep my work.

Job no dey for street. If I mess up here, na to go start afresh for another corner. E better make I just bone.

As I dey hear the singing from upstairs, I just reason to play game for my phone.

Candy Crush, Ludo—anything to keep mind busy. But my ear still dey ground. For this kind house, anything fit happen any time.

But the next thing, cold catch my body.

The singing upstairs just change to shout of pain.

E be like say cold water pour for my back. I drop phone, stand up sharp.