Chapter 5: Night Calls and Lingering Doubts

Na so all these rich people just talk one thing—

For Lagos, if you no get money, dem go look you like say you no dey. For our circle, everybody dey form big boy.

I pull all night dey change script, no even get time to rest.

My eye red, coffee finish. My phone dey beep with director message. I dey fight sleep like soldier for war front.

Fifth night wey I sleep for study,

I dey use blanket, dey squeeze myself for small table. Laptop dey hot, my eyes dey close.

Olumide knock my door for midnight.

E knock soft, but e persistent. My heart skip beat. I dey wonder if e need something urgent.

"Abeni."

The way he call my name, e carry weight. E no dey call me full name unless matter serious.

Olumide no dey call my full name like that.

My body wake up, I sit up straight. I dey try balance my voice.

I look up, confuse.

I dey blink, dey try remember where I dey. Olumide shadow dey door, e face serious.

Olumide waka come, cold harmattan breeze and small water dey follow am.

E wear singlet, but the cold no even shake am. I dey shiver, but I gree let am in.

Him tone no clear: "You forget say you still get husband?"

E stand for my front, hand for pocket. E dey look me with that him serious eye.

"You wan dey sleep for study dey leave me alone?"

His tone carry small jealousy, e dey act like pikin wey dem collect toy from.

Olumide press me for desk, our breath mix, lips touch.

The touch scatter my sense. I forget all my stress, all my wahala just vanish.

Na there I understand wetin he mean.

E no need talk plenty. The action talk pass words. I just surrender.

My face red, I try respond, wan make am happy.

I dey shy, but I gree. I no wan make am think say I no care.

"Abeni, abeg, no just ignore me again, ehn?" Olumide just talk.

E voice low, but e carry plea. I dey nod, dey promise with eye.

I blink, try explain:

I dey search words, dey try balance between work and marriage.

"I just forget, em..."

I dey stammer, dey form busy. I dey hope say e go believe me.

"I no dey ignore you these days..."

I dey try explain. But my words dey hang for air.

Before I fit finish, Olumide eye dark, e kiss me deep, swallow the rest.

I no fit talk again. My body just melt.

He no talk about am again.

E just act as if nothing happen. But the tension reduce.

The light above just dey shake.

NEPA wahala. The bulb dey flicker, dey add to the whole romantic confusion.

I bite lip, look our hands wey dey hold tight.

E hand dey warm, dey cover my own. I dey feel safe.

I come dey feel say I no want just dey do like respectful partners again.

I dey wish say we go pass that stage, become something deeper.

Maybe—

My mind dey suggest small-small ideas. I dey think maybe e get space for real love.

I fit try love am small-small.

No be crime to hope, abi? As dem dey talk, 'Hope no dey kill person.'

One thought wey I always hide, begin show for my mind.

The thought strong, dey beat drum for my heart. I dey pray say e go become true.

[Shey Olumide dey like me, even if na small?]

I dey reason am, dey hope for sign.