Chapter 4: Family Shame, Frozen Cards, and New Target

Next morning, I wake up for ground inside one big garage.

My back dey pain me. I fit smell fuel and tyre for air. Everywhere cold. As I open eye, na so headache jam me.

Old steward stand for one side, dey look me with pity: “Oga Tunde, chief say you don disgrace yourself reach. For now, you no fit enter house.”

Na Baba Femi, the steward wey serve my papa since I dey wear pampers. E dey look me with that eye of "see your life."

I get up, head dey bang, I ask:

“Any gist about Morayo today? She chop the breakfast wey I send? She chop well?”

I dey try act normal, but e be like say my heart dey beat inside my mouth. I wan hear any small hope.

“Dem talk say rain go fall today, weather go cool. If she wan comot, car dey ready? Make sure heater dey on.”

I dey list instructions anyhow, like say na presidential protocol.

“Send me her class timetable, arrange small accidental meet-up, call stylist—she dey watch that Nollywood series, abeg, do my hair like the lead guy...”

No shame remain for me again. Anything wey go make her notice me, I dey ready.

Steward cough, face dey shake:

“Sorry, Oga Tunde, e no go work today.”

His voice soft but e pain me reach bone. I dey expect small gist, e give me reality.

“Chief freeze all your cards. E talk say if you no stop to dey chase Miss Morayo, make you go carry your family name change.”

Na like thunder strike me. Family name no be play o! My papa no dey joke.

I shock:

“You no tell am say if I no marry Morayo, na die remain? E wan see him pikin kpai before am?”

My voice crack. If na movie, I for don kneel down beg.

Steward talk with straight face: “I talk am. E say your love life na wahala, but once money finish, you go reset.”

Baba Femi just sigh, “Kai, Oga Tunde, wahala ti de o.”

Na so my head spin. E be like say my enemy dey village dey dance skelewu for my matter.

...

Na so my headache double.

I hold head, rub temple. Rain don start to fall again. My Benz dey cold, but my mind dey hot.

If I fail this mission, fifty years for my life go waka.

My chest tight. If na Yoruba movie, now na when prophet go enter.

Wetin worse pass, I no even sure say I get fifty years remain.

As I check my palm, I dey count my years like say na market day.

No way—I never even finish to chop my money!

I think of all the countries I never travel, all the food I never chop, all the babe I never meet. I never ready to kpai.

As I call Naija System for help, na there I see say the target name don change.

Naija System just flash am for my eye like WAEC result. I rub eye, look again. I shock.

Aisha.

Morayo roommate.

I dey try remember her face. Slim, quiet babe, always dey tie scarf, dey greet everybody gently.

That time, Naija System come dey talk like person wey tire:

[Host, you don sober now. Because of the way you vex yesterday, your anger value reach the highest, so you use your one and only chance to change target.]

The voice sound like computer wey wan sleep, but na warning dey inside.

[Aisha fine, get good heart, pure, sabi business die. E sure for am say she go become CEO.]

[Host, na your last chance be this. Abeg, no mess am up. If you fail again, Naija System go wipe you.]

[And abeg, stop to dey complain about me.]

Naija System even dey beg me now? Wonders shall never end. Na so AI dey hustle for survival too?

Na wa o.

I shake head. Naija System sef dey show attitude. This life na really turn by turn.

No be only target change, punishment sef don upgrade?

I reason the matter. If I mess up, na end of story be that. This na last bus stop.

But as long as e no be Morayo, na freedom be this.

My spirit relax small. At least no more heartbreak. If Aisha no gree, I go accept my fate.

Target don change—who go still dey chase am?

If dem send me mission again, I go run am as e dey sweet me. This time, na fresh start.

As I close my eye, the wahala still dey my mind, but hope small dey flash like NEPA light.