Chapter 7: The Palm Grove Showdown

One loud gbam, dem burst door open.

The wooden door nearly break. Everybody for shop freeze. The way dem enter, na like film.

Ruth come out from counter, her face cold.

She tie scarf for head, wear big gown. No smile, no fear, just pure madam.

Na the round-head bros enter first.

Him dey do like say na him get the street. He even raise hand, wave at us like politician.

He look one man wey wear suit and tie wey follow am. "See who dey here."

The man for suit just behave like na him get the place. He pull chair, sit down.

Him shoe dey shine, phone for hand. The way he siddon, you go know say na real big man.

"Ruth, wetin happen? This my guy come flex, how he take end up collect beating?"

His voice get that heavy tone wey dem dey use for meeting. E be like say na judge dey question.

Ruth pour him water, kneel small, give am.

Her hand dey shake small, but she still dey do madam. If you see the way she bend, you go know say na respect she dey show.

"You no know, this your guy overdo am. My girl dey health centre now, still dey treat injury."

Her voice crack small, but she dey try hold am. She no wan show weakness.

Manager Musa raise eyebrow, look the round-head bros.

He adjust his tie, raise one eye, like say he dey size am.

Round-head bros just hiss, "Uncle, why you dey talk to this woman? She suppose thank me say I no finish her. I come here enjoy, na enjoyment I want."

He dey form hard man, dey try oppress Ruth. Some men just wicked.

I squeeze my fist. Ngozi hold my shirt from back, make I no do anything stupid.

My blood dey hot, but Ngozi eye dey warn me, "Abeg, Tolu, no make am worse." For my mind, I dey pray make I no lose job today.

Ruth face no good, but she still talk to round-head bros, "Uncle, next time we go treat you well. Abeg, make we end am here."

Her voice low, but e get meaning. She dey beg, but she no wan beg too much. Na survival be this.

"End am? Your security block me for door, beat me join, and na so?"

He dey shout, spray spit everywhere. Even the other men for back dey form bouncer, dey nod head.

I just take deep breath. Na only one kick I give am—see as this guy dey twist story.

For my mind, I dey curse. If to say I fit record, for don show all of them how e take happen.

Ruth look me, then talk to the man in suit, "Uncle, how about I pay for his treatment, and next time he come, na free. E go do?"

Her voice soft, her hand dey shake small. I know say she dey try settle matter quick before e go bad.

The man in suit smile. "No wahala. But I tire today. Make we relax for here later."

His teeth white, but his eye cold. For Lagos, na smile dey hide many thing.

Ruth reply, "No problem, Uncle Musa. I just buy new uniforms. You go like am."

She dey use sweet mouth, dey buy time. Everybody for shop dey watch like film.

She try pull the man in suit go upstairs.

Her hand light, she dey try play the game. If she fit carry am away, maybe the rest go cool.

But the man no move.

He just cross leg, look everybody for shop. Even generator sound stop for small second.

"Na you I mean, Ruth. Na you go follow us tonight."

He talk am like say na order. No smile, no play. Everybody eye wide.

Ruth smile just freeze for face.

Her mouth open small. She look Ngozi, look me. Everybody just dey mute.

I look the men wey follow am—at least twelve. This one dey craze, say na Ruth go serve all of them?

Dem big, dem get muscle, some dey wear ring for hand. If fight start, na to call police—wey no go even come.

Ruth wan talk, but the man just wave her off.

He no even gree her talk. Him hand strong like say he dey command soldiers.

"Ruth, you know say na Palm Grove Estate dey run this street. If you no serve us well tonight, forget to open shop again."

His voice cold, his face straight. Everybody for shop dey hold breath.

He hiss, "Anywhere you run go, we go find you. You know that one."

As he talk am, the rest just dey watch. Na so dem dey use fear control everywhere.

Ruth dey struggle, but as she look us, she just force one sad smile.

Her eye red, but she try hide am. For her mind, na shame dey mix with fear.

"Manager Musa, make we dey go."

She stand up, carry small bag, dey follow them. Everybody dey look floor. Nobody fit talk.

Manager Musa laugh. "Na so, you dey wise. Make we go."

He tap her for back, like say na him pikin. Some people get mind.

As dem wan climb stairs, I just talk. "Ruth, come back here."

My voice loud, everybody shock. I no plan am, but the thing just come out.

Ruth stop.

Her foot freeze for step. She turn slow, look me. The room quiet.

I talk again, "I say you no go. You hear me so?"

My hand dey shake, my leg dey weak. But my chest dey beat like drum. I no fit let am happen.

All these months, these girls treat me like family.

Even when I no get shishi, Ruth go still find way dash me small change. Even Yewande, Halima, Ngozi—everybody dey share food, dey joke, dey carry me along.

Even if dem dey sell body, everybody get their own wahala.

For this Lagos, na survival level. Nobody come here for enjoyment. Everybody dey hustle as e take be.

If way dey, who go choose this kind life?

I dey reason my mama for village, dey think say I dey live big. But if she see wetin dey happen here, e for pray pass church elders.

If I just stand dey look as dem force Ruth, I go shame to call myself man.

For my mind, I dey talk say, "If I no do anything now, who go do am?"

Ruth turn back.

Her face change. Her eye harden, her mouth close. She dey look the man in suit like say she dey weigh her chance.

That moment, her eyes change.

She drop her bag, stand straight. Na like say power enter her.

She leave the man in suit hand, come stand for my side.

She hold my hand small, squeeze am. I feel her finger dey shake, but her face strong. For that moment, I know say e get why I come this place.

Her leg dey shake small, but she no let voice break. For Lagos, if you show fear, dem go chop you raw.

"Uncle Musa, sorry. We no go follow una tonight. Abeg, comot."

Her voice strong, e echo for the whole parlour. Ngozi and Yewande dey peep from kitchen.

The man in suit just dey look me like say I be mad person, then he burst laugh.

E loud, scatter everywhere. All him boys begin dey laugh join. But for their eye, I see say dem dey surprise.

"Okay, young man. You get mind."

He point me, then point Ruth. Everybody dey tense. Na so e be for Lagos when you challenge power.

He wave hand. "Baldy, teach am lesson."

Everybody for shop just hold breath. The round-head bros squeeze fist, swing for me. "You dey find wahala!"

The air cold. Me sef no know how power enter my body. I just carry flower vase wey dey side, break am for his head.

Blood drip for floor, silence heavy—na who go move first?