Chapter 5: Mr. Adeyemi—Church Elder for Day

My babe supervisor name na Mr. Adeyemi. I don see am like two, three times.

The first time I see the man, e dey wear native with correct cap, voice calm like person wey dey preach for Redeem. He dey play calm, dey act like gentle uncle.

E dey him fifties, but e tall, e gentle—no be those ones wey dey look like old thief.

Person fit see am for street, you go think say na church elder. But see as e wicked.

I hear say Mr. Adeyemi and him wife dey love well, get two daughters.

All this na packaging. People dey praise am, say e get clean record, family man.

I even google am before.

E name full for Google. Newspaper dey write about am. People dey call am mentor. Me self, I use him story advise my babe before.

The man get level—win award for Naija and abroad, respect full everywhere.

E get award, people dey look up to am. But na for night, e dey show real colour.

Happy family, big career, students dey rush am.

All those ones na surface. For backyard, na different thing.

But na real wolf in sheep skin.

This kind people, na dem dey make young girls believe say all men na the same.

God punish am.

I just dey repeat am for head, make thunder fire the two of them. Na prayer be that.

If I no expose this fake man, I no go rest.

I dey plot am inside. My spirit no go gree till I see wahala catch am.

My babe dey come house around seven or eight, but that day, she rush come early.

That evening, she waka enter house before time, dey rush like person wey forget food for fire.

As she enter, na tablet she dey find.

She dey look everywhere, dey form gentle. But her eye dey red, she dey panick.

I pretend say I no sabi, help her find. I bend down, dey sweep hand under chair like person dey find lost change. Last last, we "see" am under shoe rack.

I play along, help her look under chair, under pillow. Na me finally "see" am under shoe rack, where I hide am.

She grab am quick.

She just hold am tight, like say if she loose grip, spirit go carry am go.

"As long as e dey house. I think say I lose am outside."

She dey form relief, dey smile fake. But her mind dey run. She waka go room sharply.

She carry the tablet enter room.

She lock door small, dey press. I know say she dey delete all those chat. But e don late, I don see everything.

I just dey look am coldly, no talk.

When she come out, I just dey look her with cold eye. I no talk, she sef dey avoid my eye.

See as she dey rush delete chat with that old man.

Her hand dey shake small, but she dey try pretend say nothing happen.

After she come out, relief just show for her face.

She smile, act like say nothing dey. But her body language don change. E remain small, she go confess.

That night, Mr. Adeyemi even call her.

As the phone ring, I see the name. My heart just dey race.

She answer am for my front, dey form normal.

She use her soft voice pick call. Dey form say na normal school matter. But I dey hear everything.

"Mr. Adeyemi, I dey house, wetin happen?"

She dey act like say she no expect am. But her face dey light up small.

"No, I no tired."

She dey give excuse, dey act like say na work dey tire am, not all this night waka.

"Okay, I go come your office tomorrow morning."

She dey agree, dey plan next move. My body just dey hot.

After the call, she tell me like say nothing dey, "I help my supervisor arrange documents today, he say make I come again tomorrow. Sigh, na so graduate student dey suffer for supervisor hand."

She dey act like say na stress, dey complain small, so I go pity her. But my mind don dey far.

Then she begin order me. "Honey, I no fit talk in front of my oga, but my hand, leg, knee dey pain me—come give me massage."

She just dey send me message like say I be houseboy. All those sweet words dey ring for her mouth. I just dey look her.

I nearly burst curse for her head.

E dey my throat to shout, but I just swallow am. Na God save person sometimes.

Why you dey pain? You still get mouth dey send me message?

Inside me, I dey ask am. Wetin make your body dey pain? Na who cause am? You dey form suffer, but you no dey innocent.

Make you massage yourself, abeg.

I just find excuse, say I wan use toilet. I waka commot, leave her for parlour.

I find excuse go bathroom.

For toilet, I sit for there long. Water no even run, but I no fit face her.

Before, I go believe everything she talk.

Anytime she talk, I dey trust her, no dey ask too much question. But now, my mind don change.

But now, I know say dem dey play me for my own house.

This house wey I build with sweat, now na two of them dey use my head run street.

No wahala, make una dey play—I go follow till the end.

I talk for inside me, say no shaking. I go play this game reach the end, see who go win.