Chapter 3: G-Wagon Wahala

As we squat for amusement park gate, one black G-Wagon just park for our front.

The car just stop with heavy engine sound, everybody head turn. Me sef dey squint, dey wonder which sugar daddy don show.

I quick drag the small boy comot, make car no jam am.

Sharp sharp, I drag smallie back, him hand soft like fresh bread. "Come this side," I talk, as if na my pikin. My spirit no fit forgive me if another pesin mama wahala jam me for street.

One fine, mature woman come down, the small boy just fly enter her hand like rocket.

The way he run, you go know say na home training. The woman sef na correct Lagos madam—ankara wrapper, gold chain, perfume wey fit wake person for sleep. Na only smile remain make she win Miss Nigeria.

"Mummy!"

He hug am tight, leg off ground. The woman just dey laugh, pet am. The love for there dey pure, e dey touch heart.

Even as the woman dey thank me, I still dey confuse.

My head dey swirl—who this woman be, and how I take enter this family drama? I dey hope say dem no go reason the matter pass here.

"Thank you, my dear. He say he wan see new friend today, I dey worry. I no know say na fine, pretty girl like you."

The way she compliment me, e just dey sweet me. You go know say she sabi talk. She even wink small, as if she dey rate me as future in-law.

"No wahala, aunty. Me sef happy to meet... you."

I smile, dey form big girl. But for my mind, I dey pray make conversation end, make I fit waka.

After all day, I still no sabi the small boy name.

E funny, but na true—three months of chatting, wey I never ask real name. Only username and all those sweet pet name.

As me and the woman dey gist, the boy hold my hand, dey look me with puppy eyes, voice get small beg.

The grip soft, but e strong—like say he no wan let go. The boy face dey do like say "abeg, no forget me o."

"Sister, we go see again?"

The boy grip me, tears for eye, voice small: "Sister, we go see again?" E be like say if I talk no, rain go start.

We go see again?

Most likely, no.

In my mind, I dey plan how to escape this love triangle. E no go work at all, abeg.

As if he read my mind, tears just full him eye.

The tears gather for eye, one small drop fall. You know those kind tears wey dey force you to promise anything? I nearly say yes.

He hug me tight begin cry.

Na the kind hug wey dey squeeze heart. People for park dey watch, some dey smile, some dey pity me. If to say na movie, soundtrack for don play.

The woman just give me small embarrassed smile.

She just raise eyebrow, mouth form that "sorry o" wey only Nigerian mothers sabi do. E be like say she wan beg me on top him son behalf.

"E don late, e no good make young girl dey waka alone. Abeg, enter car make I drop you, so two of una go spend more time."

She talk am soft, but you go hear the authority inside. My head dey calculate risk—omo, G-Wagon no be keke.

I reason am, gree, give am my school name.

For my mind, I dey plan say if wahala start, I go just shout. But the way she talk, my mind relax small. Na so I yarn her my school, dey pray say journey go smooth.

Her eye shine. "Na wa o! My first son dey that same school."

E shock me. For my mind, I dey ask, "Who be your first son?"

"Him name na Tobi. You sabi am?"

Na when I hear "Tobi" my brain freeze. That name no strange for my ear. The thing just dey connect like Bluetooth for my head.

I shock small. I no expect say that cold campus fine boy na the small boy brother.

Everything just dey connect. All those fine boy gist, Tobi wey dey waka with air of king. Na wa!

No wonder both of them dey familiar.

I remember all the small resemblance—nose, eyebrow, pride. E make sense now.

As I come down from car, I thank Aunty Fadeke. The small boy no wan leave me, hold me tire before he finally free me.

The woman wave, her perfume still dey my nose—mixture of powder and small vanilla, like old-school aunty. The boy grip me like say I be teddy bear. E no wan let go, but finally, small strength leave him hand, I free.

At the end, I just manage enter school gate before curfew close.

Gate man dey look me, dey reason who drop me for G-Wagon. I just bone face, waka pass, heart dey beat kpim kpim. For my mind, na God save me from wahala tonight.

For entrance, I pass some students. Their gist enter my ear as breeze blow.

Na so gossip dey waka. My face show for everywhere, people dey whisper, dey point. Me, I bone face.

"Ah, Tobi, no be that law department fine girl? Why she dey drop from G-Wagon? E get as e be o."

Their voice dey carry. E remain make dem carry megaphone. For my mind, I dey pray make ground open.

One boy cold voice answer, "No sabi am. I no know who she be."

The coldness choke. Na Tobi voice. As if I be ghost for am. My heart just cut small.