Chapter 4: Office Gossip and Sweet Coffee

For restaurant, I snap picture. “Daddy! This grilled fish too sweet. Next time make we come together!” For the picture, I dey scoop pepper soup with spoon, wink for camera.

Hibiscus take time reply: “When be next time?”

I think am. Truth be say, I no too wan see my papa this period. Any time we meet, na blind date or make I dey socialize. This time na guy wey senior me six years, next time fit be one Abuja big boy. Na so our circle be.

I reply: “Next time na next time, Daddy.” Send angry cat sticker.

Hibiscus: “……”

I fit feel say e dey vex small. I try pet am: “Daddy, no vex! If you dey vex, you go old, e no good o.”

Hibiscus: “You dey call me old?”

Why my papa dey talk plenty today? Normally, two lines e don off. E be like say my waka break him old heart. I dey hype am: “Daddy, you be the most handsome, the best. Too successful, too fresh—men of your age dey dream!” “Abeg transfer more money to your baby.”

Hibiscus: “Transfer 200,000.”

As dem talk—no matter the man, you gats sabi small child psychology. Especially my papa wey no dey reliable.

As I finish chop, HR message me—my title don change to MD assistant. Fifty thousand per month, my own office! Papa, forget am, I no dey come back house. I just realise say life outside family no too hard as I think! If I continue, maybe one day I fit buy the company join.

These days, I dey wonder—never see Olamide for any of our circles. I ask people, nobody get gist about am. Person wey get company like this, e fit clean like that? Wait, shey na crush my boss get for me? I look myself for hotel mirror. Well, who no go like me? If na this kind person dem arrange for blind date, who go run?

As I dey imagine, one work group message pop, just kill my joy. Normally, I no dey look group chat after work, but people dey gossip why Olamide return Naija. I click am. See as people dey talk say Mr. Perfect return to marry him fiancée. Office romance, abeg. Na joke!

I hiss, drop phone. I no go let their yarn spoil my shine. If Olamide wan marry, e go find who e fit handle, no be me wey sabi show myself.