Chapter 7: Wahala for Shop

As Morayo reach, I dey busy for kitchen.

The sound of her laughter dey loud for restaurant, na so everybody turn look.

My mama see her, greet her:

“Young lady, seat no dey now—come back tomorrow.”

Mama talk am with soft frown, dey clean table as she dey talk.

“No wahala, I fit wait.”

Morayo stand gidigba, no even move.

“No need wait—na only men dey chop abalone here. Wetin young lady like you dey do for here?”

One uncle for counter dey shake head, dey sip malt.

“I go just order two abalone myself.”

Morayo dey smile, dey tap POS like say na joke.

“No, no—our abalone na for men only. Women no fit chop am.”

Mama face no change. Na old rule she dey guard like shrine keeper.

“Why? Na discrimination be that! If you no gree, I go call reporter make dem close una shop.”

Morayo dey talk loud. Some customers dey look her, some dey hiss.

Before my mama fit talk, one customer no fit hold am again:

He stand, dey raise voice, “Young lady, this one no be Lagos fast food—if you no fit wait, abeg waka.”

“Yes o, if you try rubbish for here and stop us from chop abalone, we no go take am easy.”

People dey raise hand, dey knock table. The air dey tense like NEPA light.

Morayo don try this style before—she go find fault for restaurants, threaten with media. Normally, owners go give free food or settle am.

She dey sharp, dey expect dem go beg her, but na men dey full shop.

But this time, she jam hard men.

Na real street men dey here. Dem no send journalist wahala.

As she see the men, her face pale, she freeze.

Her voice low, she just dey look ground.

Na that time I come out from kitchen. As she see me, she wave like say she see saviour:

“Bamidele, I dey here!”

Her voice change, she dey hope say I go rescue her.

I stand for her back, beg the customers: “Abeg, no vex. Na my friend—she still dey young, fit no sabi talk. Make una no mind.”

I dey bow small, dey spread hand to calm crowd.

As dem see say I know her, dem calm down.

Some just laugh, others dey drink, dem forget the quarrel.

My mama look Morayo up and down, ask: “Who you be?”

She dey size am, eye dey sharp.

“I be Morayo, Bamidele classmate. I hear say una open shop, come check.”

She talk am with smile, but Mama no return the smile.

My mama still dey frown. She waka go, dey talk for corner: “She sabi say na classmate shop, still dey find trouble—this girl no get better mind.”

She no talk am low—Morayo hear everything.

Her face just change, anger dey show. “With this kind service, na wonder say una business dey boom.”

Morayo dey whisper, but e still loud reach my ear.

I just smile, calm her: “People dey look for taste now. If food sweet, dem go come.”

I pat her hand, dey try cool matter.

“I hear your mama say everybody dey come for abalone? Na only village people dey craze for sea snail and abalone—dem no get anything special.”

She dey try form big girl, but I just laugh.

“Well, our abalone na eight hundred thousand naira each now. People wey dey come, fit pay.”

I dey count for her, even add receipt. She open mouth, shock.

“How m—how much?”

Her voice choke, she dey look my eye.

“Eight hundred, two per person. Na one point six million.”

I dey smile, dey enjoy her shock.

“Na true?” Morayo eyes open.

I nod, point POS, “You fit ask any man for here.”

She still no believe, go ask another table.

As she confirm say na true, the way she dey look me change.

Her eye soft, she dey reason new level.

“I actually come to talk about engagement. We dey graduate soon—time don reach to meet parents and marry.”

She talk am quiet, but her eye dey shine like diamond. People dey look us, dey whisper.