Chapter 4: Office Tension

The day the wound really pain me na Valentine’s Day.

Valentine for Naija, if you no shine eye, e go pain you. That morning, everywhere red and white, roadside people dey hawk flower, traffic tight. I gree, today, I go show myself.

I go Chuka office say make we chop together.

I pack small jollof rice, buy drink, wear fine gown, spray perfume—if you see me that day! I dey ready for love.

As I pass reception, I stop small, receptionist come ask, "Hello madam, who you wan see? You get appointment?"

She wear office suit, dey eye me with that "Who you be?" look. I smile, I wan answer.

I wan answer.

Na so I arrange face, dey try package, before I fit talk...

Next thing, her eye just bright, she smile—this one no be work smile again o.

Her smile just turn sweet, teeth white, voice soft. I notice the way she dey behave, the greeting strong. As she beam, her gele tilt for head, shining like all those sharp Yaba market girls wey dey sell with only eye contact.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Chuka."

I turn, na Chuka she dey salute. Her voice just get extra sugar, like say she dey on audition.

That wedding group photo just flash for my mind.

Na so that WhatsApp group photo come dey my head like horror movie. I just dey remember the way she stand close to Chuka for picture, all the teeth she show.

Then I remember: na this receptionist be that same bridesmaid.

Chei, my heart skip. I look am, look Chuka, my eye narrow. The world small sha!

I waka go meet them, Secretary Musa wey dey beside Chuka just shift back.

As I move go where dem stand, Secretary Musa just clear for road, dey eye the two of us like film. The guy sabi mind him business, but today, e no fit hide curiosity.

I grab Chuka hand. "I come see your Mr. Chuka. I need appointment?"

I just grab Chuka hand, press am small, voice loud make everywhere hear. My eye dey on that receptionist.

I dey look Chuka as I talk, but na that receptionist I dey target. Na Secretary Musa come reply.

I dey shine teeth, but my mind dey do competition with the girl own. Na Secretary Musa come rescue the situation.

"No, no, Miss Ife, you no need appointment. Just call me, I go come carry you," Secretary Musa dey laugh.

Musa just dey laugh, try cover tension. "No wahala, na you be madam here. Just call me!"

Chuka frown. "Why you no call before you come?"

Chuka face tight, eyebrow high, voice low. E no like surprise visit. E dey try maintain composure.

I say, "If I call, e no go be surprise."

I form smile, act playful. My tone light, but my heart dey observe everybody.

But for Chuka, na only shock e be.

Him eye wide small, e just dey try process the whole drama. For him mind, maybe e no expect say I fit waka show.

As we dey enter lift, receptionist rush come with documents, dey beg make we wait.

She dey run, paper for hand, voice dey high. I just dey look am with one kind eye.

Secretary Musa quickly press hold.

Musa, sharp guy, quickly press the lift, make she fit enter. The tension for air strong.

As receptionist enter, I see as Secretary Musa face just change, the guy dey uncomfortable die.

Musa just dey arrange files anyhow, try focus for phone, but body language dey show say e no want wahala.

Receptionist dey rush explain, "Sorry, na document wey Director Sani need urgently."

She dey stammer, voice dey shake. I just dey look her, no blink.

Chuka nod.

He just nod, no words, dey look everybody, especially me. The hearing aid for ear dey shine like trophy.

Hearing aid dey shine for him ear.

The silver color dey catch small light, e dey make am look serious. Receptionist eye dey follow am.

Receptionist suddenly ask, "Brother Chuka, as long as you wear this thing, you fit hear?"

She point her own ear.

The girl come ask, voice soft, almost like pikin dey ask for sweet. She even point her ear, as if na joke.

I just dey look her with strong face.

I dey bone, dey form strong woman. My eye dey tell her: "No try am!"

Chuka never talk before she realize, come dey apologize.

She catch herself, voice low. "Sorry, sorry." Her body dey shake. I just dey watch the drama.

I remove my hand from Chuka arm.

Na so I gently remove hand, body cold. I no wan make am look like say I dey hold am by force.

Chuka turn look me.

He look my face, but I bone. Pride no go let me smile.

I bone face look am back.

Na small contest of strong face, my eye dey red, I dey show say I no dey send anybody.

Chuka face receptionist: "If you know say e no good, no talk am."

His voice low, calm, but the weight heavy. The words just freeze everybody.

E talk am cold, calm.

E pain me sha. The way he talk, you go feel say e dey protect me, but I no sure. Na mixture of cold and control.

But e pain.

Inside me, the words sting. I dey try hide my reaction, but the wound dey fresh.

Receptionist eye just red, fear catch her.

She almost cry, the embarrassment clear. She dey rush press floor button, dey pray make ground swallow am.

As she come down for her floor, Secretary Musa try calm me.

Musa come whisper, voice gentle: "Abeg, no vex o. Na Director Sani wife pikin, she never sabi the way we dey do things here."

"Sorry, Miss Ife, na Director Sani wife younger sister. She just dey do IT here, she never sabi how things dey."

He try explain, voice low, dey look me with pity. Me sef, my heart dey soft small, but I no show am.

I even pity Secretary Musa.

The guy dey always try balance everybody. E no easy.

When we reach top floor, I no come down.

As lift reach top, I pause. My chest dey squeeze, I just dey look my feet.

I tell Chuka, "Sorry, I forget say I get another appointment."

Voice strong but shaky, I just form say I forget, but the truth be say, my mind don cut. I no fit chop with am again.

Meaning say I no dey chop dinner with am again.

I no wan sit with am, I no wan pretend.

Secretary Musa try patch things.

He dey suggest, "Maybe una fit still go out later," but I just wave hand. No need.

But Chuka just stand dey look, "Okay. Call me when you finish."

Chuka dey act like say nothing happen. He just dey stare, voice flat. My heart dey ache.

Lift door close by itself.

As the door dey close, the air cold like freezer, my heart dey beat heavy.

As lift dey go down, my eye meet Chuka own through glass, as everywhere just dark.

That one second, na like say our eyes dey speak plenty grammar wey our mouth no fit talk. The silence choke.

He no go ever know wetin him and Secretary Musa talk after I comot.

He no know say after I waka commot, people dey talk, dey look us.

"You no go comfort Miss Ife?"

Musa voice soft, like say he dey beg am to try.

Chuka say, "If I fit accept all her feelings, no be enough?"

Chuka, e own logic dey different. For him mind, to allow my emotions dey around am na big sacrifice.

Secretary Musa just keep quiet remember him oga past.

Musa know say the matter deep. The guy just bow head, dey remember all the stories, all the talk.

After all, Ife’s own 'Ife' na the same as Ife Group.

Ife Group, my papa company. For Naija, name dey carry weight, and people dey quick forget say big name no dey shield heart from heartbreak.