Chapter 6: Table Tension

“She be my colleague, Halima.”

I talk am clear, dey let everybody hear. Halima dey arrange her hair, dey smile like person wey no send wahala.

Halima smile, arrange her hair, show fine face. “Hello everyone. I be Chuka colleague. Chuka too good, always dey look after me. I dey see am as my big brother.”

Her accent soft, her face dey calm, e clear say she no wan do pass herself. Musa dey nod, Ifeoma dey twist face.

Ifeoma face strong more, come shift near me.

She dey grip my arm small, like say she wan mark territory. For her eye, e be like say she dey para.

Food land quick.

Waiter set table, dey pour wine, dey serve plates. Aroma of jollof rice and chicken full table. Na that kain restaurant wey dey do plating like say dem dey serve oyibo. Waiter drop one cold Maltina for table, sweat dey run for bottle.

Musa sabi Ifeoma well, dey put her favourite dish for her front, even dey cut chicken for her.

He dey use knife dey cut am, dey talk say, "You remember that time for camp when you break bone for chicken?" Ifeoma dey laugh small, but she dey eye me.

Halima dey struggle with chicken, I swap my own—wey I don cut—give her. She thank me, dey smile.

I talk small for her ear, "No worry, make e easy for you." She dey blush, dey say thank you.

Ifeoma pull my hand. “Baby, pour me water.”

She dey try pull my attention, dey act like say she be madam.

I carry bottle, pour for her, add for Halima too.

I dey do am gentle, dey balance table. Musa dey watch, dey shake leg.

Musa raise glass, “No worry for me, e do.”

He dey raise glass, dey wink. Ifeoma just eye am, no smile.

Ifeoma just dey show her beef for Halima. “Miss Halima, Chuka na good person, dey nice to everybody.” She glare me. “Always dey cause confusion.”

Her voice sharp, she dey throw jabs. Musa dey smile, Halima dey act calm.

Halima just calm, “E mean say Chuka too get charm.”

She dey smile, dey look me, dey try form as if e no mean.

She lower voice, dey tell Ifeoma, “Sister-in-law, make I yarn you—Chuka dey hot for office. All the babes dey trip say he fine, sabi work, correct husband material.”

Halima dey laugh as she talk am, dey look Ifeoma for eye. Ifeoma mouth tight, she dey tap spoon for table.

Even me, I blush small.

My face red, I dey look down, dey smile like small boy wey dem just praise.

Ifeoma fake smile. “Na so?”

She dey bite inside mouth, dey act as if e no pain her. But I sabi say e dey pepper her.

Halima point Musa, “True! But this your guy still pass Chuka. See am—since we start chop, him eye never comot your body.”

Everybody for table laugh, but Musa dey cough, dey act shy. Ifeoma just dey roll eye.

Her mouth too sharp, Musa sef dey shame, cough, “Abeg, e too much.”

He dey wave hand, dey try change topic. I dey enjoy the drama.

The whole meal, tension full everywhere.

If person pass our table, dem go feel the fire wey dey fly. Na only waiter dey smile.

After food, Halima comot first.

She stand up, dey hug her bag, smile for everybody, talk say she get another appointment. She give me small wave, Ifeoma no answer am.

Musa say make he drop us, but I just shake car key, show say I drive come.

I no want his wahala join my night. I wave key, talk say "No worry, we dey drive."

He ask Ifeoma again, “Time still dey o. Make we go another spot?”

He dey look her face, dey hope she go gree. Ifeoma dey think, dey look me.

Ifeoma say, “No, we get plans. We dey go house.”

She talk am fast, hold my arm tight. Musa just nod, dey fake smile.

She rush pull me, begin ask before we reach car. “Who this Halima sef?”

Her voice low, like person wey dey vex but no want shout for public.

“Colleague.”

I talk am slow, dey try form calm.

“You dey treat colleague like that? Dey serve food, dey pour water?”

She dey ask, dey frown, dey tap her foot for ground.

“I just dey nice. No be Musa dey pamper you pass?”

I dey talk soft, but my eye dey look her. Ifeoma open mouth, but no word comot.

She no fit talk.

She just hiss, face road. I just dey smile for mind.