Chapter 4: Technicians and Temptations

I raise the rolling door, then go knock for three doors upstairs.

My hand dey pain me as I dey knock. "Yewande! Halima! Ngozi! Oya, wake up, customers dey come."

Soon, three babes come down.

Dem wear all those matching wrappers and t-shirt wey get shop logo. I fit smell their body spray as dem descend stair. Even without makeup finish, dem still dey shine.

All of them fine, young, get their own style.

Yewande get dimple for cheek, Halima dey waka like say she dey float, Ngozi always dey smile for everybody.

One just fall for settee, dey grumble for me.

Yewande abeg, na drama queen. As she collapse, e be like say na her papa house she dey.

"Tolu, you too dey make noise. You even loud pass me when I dey shout."

She just dey whine me. I no even answer am. Na she dey bring pepper for shop, but she sabi make everybody laugh.

Na Yewande be that, our shop's main star.

Her body set, her handwork na top notch.

When she dey work, customer go dey beg make she never finish. Her hand soft, she sabi where to press.

Every night, her singing loud pass anybody own, and e dey sweet to hear.

Sometimes, I dey record her with my small phone, send am give my younger sister wey dey like music.

If customer wan her, dem must book her ahead.

Even dem get waiting list for her. She dey run things.

The other two just dey yawn, dey arrange their makeup.

Halima dey always dey find mirror, Ngozi dey fix her earring. All these small, small things dey make everywhere lively.

Their names na Halima and Ngozi.

Halima get Hausa accent small. Ngozi na pure Igbo babe. Sometimes dem dey joke say I go marry one of them.

And yes, you dey correct—Ngozi na the same one from front desk, her big sister.

Ngozi dey always guide Halima, make sure she no mess up customer money. Two of them close die.

Me and Ngozi dey run the daily work, while Aunty Ru dey carry the other two serve customers.

Ngozi sabi book, she fit settle any wahala with sweet talk. Me, I dey use muscle and fast hand.

Just as we open, customer land.

You know say Lagos people no dey carry last. Before we even sweep finish, na so customer show.

One round-head bros waka enter, chain for neck, belly big like he swallow fufu. The type wey if dem enter, you go know say money dey show.

"How much una dey charge per session? Manager Musa from Palm Grove Estate na the person wey refer me."

As he mention Musa, everybody for shop just arrange face. Palm Grove people na another level.

How much per session? Our place dey collect thousands for one.

Some people dey think say na cheap, but if you see our customer list, na big men and women dey waka here.

Ruth just smile, welcome am.

She fit win Miss Nigeria with that her smile. Na so she go switch into business mode, begin dey talk soft.

"You be Palm Grove person? Oya, come inside, bros. Our technicians get different skills and price—choose anyone wey you like."

If you see the way she open her hand, you go know say she sabi customer service well well.

The round-head bros just dey look Yewande anyhow. "How much for you? Na per session or per hour?"

He dey use eye measure her from head to toe. Me I just bone face.

Yewande just force smile, raise one finger.

She dey try hide her vex, but na work, so she gree play along.

"One hundred?"

The way the man talk, e be like say he wan price plantain for market. "One thousand? Na wa o! Una dey collect like say una dey cure malaria."

"No, one thousand."

The round-head bros quiet, then point the less-fine Halima.

He clear throat, look Halima from corner eye. Sometimes, na dem dem go say beauty dey for eye, but for this one, na pocket dey decide.

Before Halima talk, Ruth smile introduce, "Na our new girl be this, five hundred per session—she go make you enjoy well."

Her voice soft, but e dey firm. She dey advertise Halima well.

Round-head bros nod, carry Halima go upstairs.

As dem dey climb, I dey hope say make Halima get better luck today. Some customers fit dey gentle, some fit wah.

Within minutes, sweet singing start dey come down from up.

Everybody just dey smile. Na normal sign say massage dey go well. I dey pray say today go smooth.