Chapter 4: Rainbow and Numbers

One cool babe voice just scatter my thought.

I turn quick, see one fine babe wey skin fresh, voice clear like morning bell for church. She stand for my front with confidence wey dey shine.

"Sorry, I late."

She smile, eyes soft. Her gold wristwatch flash under the light.

"I be Zainab Musa."

She stretch hand, palm soft. I grip am, dey wonder how life fit turn person to main character and extra for the same scene.

The babe wey stand front wear white suit, hair fine, face soft, eyes dey show say she really dey sorry.

Her perfume dey sweet, her earring dey shine like say she dey go gala night. She carry herself like person wey no dey rush for anything.

Zainab Musa bring out one perfume from her bag, give me.

She open bag wey fit buy keke, bring out bottle of perfume, the label na something I never even price for life.

"Small something. Thanks for waiting."

I look the perfume. The perfume smell pass all the ones wey I dey see for Balogun, e fit buy me new phone. My hand dey shake as I collect am. I dey wonder how person fit dash something wey pass my monthly salary just like that.

I wan talk say I no fit collect, but Zainab friend waka enter.

Her friend, slim babe wey wear wig like magazine model, just bounce inside with big bag. The energy wey she bring, e scatter my thought again.

"Lanre don commot. He leave message: wedding budget na thirty million, if e pass small, no wahala."

She open phone, show me message. My eye nearly fall. Who dey dash money like that?

"He say make you do as you like."

He no even get time meet wedding planner with you—abeg, how e wan take love you?

The friend roll eye, shake head. "My sister, na only for movie dem dey love for real."

Zainab just press the perfume for my hand, talk like say e no mean anything.

She wave hand, like say e dey talk about gala. "No mind am. If I dey wait for love, I go old."

"Love or no love, na business marriage."

She adjust her jacket, sip water. "Everything na transaction. If e fit bring profit, e better pass crying for love."

"I no send wetin e dey do before wedding, as long as e calm down after."

She check her phone, type message, no even look my face. As if na normal gist.

"Even if e run package after wedding, I go just open champagne celebrate."

Her laugh soft, but e carry sting. Her friend nod, dey bite cake.

"Na rotten cucumber I go lose, but Lanre family must drop at least thirty percent profit. Na big win for me."

She laugh, throw hand, like say na joke. But her eye serious. This na how the other side of Lagos dey run things.

I reason whether to tell her the truth, but I swallow am.

For my throat, something dey choke me. But I just swallow spit, smile. This world no balance.

Na so rich people dey live?

I look their side, see how dem dey laugh, dey toast to nothing. I just dey wonder if love na myth for this kind level.

Love no get meaning.

My chest dey cold. I dey pity my own self. I dey wonder when my own day go shine.

Na only interest dey last.

I dey see am clear. For here, na numbers matter pass heart.

Zainab call waiter, order small chops and cake, then focus on me.

She cross leg, face me proper, as if we dey do interview.

"Amaka, abi? I don see your work—e get style."

She wink, smile. I nod, my heart dey beat anyhow.

"Na the kind wey I like."

Her face serious. I gree, dey pray make my hand no shake pass normal.

"See this paper, na my wedding requirement. Check am."

Her request clear: venue na Grand Orchid Hotel, make dem book everywhere. Banquet na five hundred thousand naira per table, 50 tables. Theme: white lilies.

I read am, then suggest,

I clear throat, "Madam, if we set up one week before, hotel go charge die."

"E no too make sense."

"Three days dey okay—I fit run am."

I dey reason say maybe she go listen, but her face no even move.

"If we look am well..."

I look up, Zainab dey smile me.

Na that kind smile wey people dey give when dem no dey hear your reason, but dem go still let you talk.

Na that time I understand—'cost-effective' no dey their dictionary.

For my mind, I adjust. "No mind me, madam. Make we set up one week before. Anything wey you want."

Na that time, food land.

Waiter drop tray for table, aroma full everywhere. I swallow spit, my belly grumble.

I shift my bag go chair, so e no go disturb space.

I arrange my file, try give space, but Zainab push food come my side.

"Chop."

She slide plate near me. I shock, dey look her.

I raise eye, shock.

I dey try form, say I no too hungry, but her face firm.

Zainab just nod chin, make I no form.

She talk soft, "You dey look pale. Low sugar? Abeg, chop something."

She pour juice for my cup, push am. Her own way of caring. I smile, say thanks, begin chop small. The food sweet pass as my body dey feel.