Chapter 6: Love, Competition, and Lagos Sense

Day by day, Chijioke dey happy. Every visit, e bring gist, laughter don return. Sometimes, small gift—bread from city, fresh fruit. Na so love dey start.

He gist about stall, which bags sell pass, funny market wahala. Customers, old mama wey price everything, boys wey do Alaba trick. Even Baba Musa dey join laugh.

Our relationship close, relaxed. Nurse dey tease—say if dem no see us marry, e go pain dem.

One day, I talk offhand: "You and Zainab dey tight o. I hear she dey follow you everywhere, dey help."

I watch him face. In Naija, rumor dey fly like mosquito. Chijioke caught off guard. "We grow together, live next door, so we close. But I dey pay her—she just help."

I say, "Ehn? If you no talk, outsiders go think una be couple."

He rush explain, I raise hand stop am. I smile, signal make e rest.

"But she really good—hardworking, smart, dey help you think. Having person to discuss with dey save stress. She almost perfect wife."

I praise Zainab. If you wan confuse man, praise another woman. E dey always work.

Chijioke fluster, quick protest: "She good, but she no go school much, only help with small thing. Most plans come from you—you be backbone."

Baba Musa walk in with flask, hear am, add: "Your girlfriend try pass. No disappoint am o, people go talk."

Baba Musa wahala na to add fire. Everybody laugh, but Chijioke dey sweat.

"She no be my girlfriend." He look me, "Na my carelessness cause misunderstanding. I be man, but I fear e go spoil her name. If e affect her find husband, na my fault. I go explain sharp."

He rush go clear name, nor even wait make food cool. Na correct Naija man.

Baba Musa look me: "That Zainab stubborn, fit follow am anywhere, do anything. If e continue, dem fit really become couple. Why not arrange boys disturb her, make she leave?"

I roll eye, tone sharp: "Baba Musa, this na law country o. Today, na wisdom I wan use, not violence."

"Besides manual work, wetin Zainab fit offer? Let Chijioke see for himself say dem no be same kind of people."

When I write this novel, I no see anything wrong with Zainab. But for book, life easy. For street, only sharp person dey chop.

Zainab ability nor fit match Chijioke. Chijioke dey grow—plan ahead. Zainab still dey find way. Gap dey.

And besides—

My eyes dey on Chijioke. This time, I no dey play. For this Naija, sharp babe nor dey carry last. But Zainab—she dey watch too.