Chapter 6: Strategy and Family Drama

I gather all info about Zainab, give Auwalu. He just look am, eye the photo, talk sharply: “Widow face—easy job.”

He no even open the file well. Na so he use one eye measure am, dey size her up.

He throw the file back to me.

He act like say na biscuit wrapper, just toss am one side. E no get fear at all.

“You no go study the person? Even yahoo boys dey plan well. Zainab no be anyhow babe—show some respect for your client.”

I just dey vex. For this Lagos, you no fit underrate your opponent. If you slack, na you go hear am.

“Client?” He lean come near, our eye jam, breath dey touch, talk with style, “Na who pay be client. If I go respect anybody, na you.”

He dey flirt, but e dey talk true. If you no put money down, you no get mouth. I just dey shake head.

I carry the file knack am for face, push am back.

"Respect yourself, abeg."

“Ouch, abeg o. My nose job cost. If you break am, na you go pay.”

I just hiss, dey look am like say I go slap am.

“Pay fire! Rule one: no dey harass the boss!”

I dey remind am say, for this arrangement, na me be chairlady. E no fit cross line.

This guy too dey flirt. If I no set line, e go do am again.

I dey watch am with side eye. For this life, if you let small boy take over, na wahala you go see.

He just smile for side: “Boring.”

He no even send me. E just dey laugh, dey play.

He collect the listening device, turn go, raise finger: “One month. Make you keep your husband for one side, no put mouth.”

One month?

I surprise. Zainab sharp, she go see through scam. But I gats trust am small, since money don enter.

Zainab get sharp brain—this guy dey overdo. I dey regret already.

I dey bite nail. If he mess up, na me go lose.

But after their first meet, my mind change.

I dey follow everything with ear, dey type update for phone. When I see the way he play am, I know say I jam pro.

That day, for mall, I dey Cafe Neo upstairs, dey watch as Auwalu waka go meet Zainab with one bright smile. But this smile no be the normal one—e gentle, get sense.

He get that smile wey dey disarm woman. Na so e waka with confidence, no shakara.

He wear red cashmere sweater, look warm, calm, like person wey grow for money house, full of confidence. With him fine face, e look like small rich boy wey never suffer.

I dey look am, dey laugh inside. If you see am, you go think say na big man pikin, not street guy.

I think say he go greet Zainab, but instead, he waka go meet her mama.

E sharp! Instead of chasing babe, e dey carry mama along. Na so you win Naija family.

“Excuse me, I see one card. Maybe na your own?”

He gentle, dey soft, voice calm. Even the way he take talk, you go feel say he get respect.

Na special restaurant membership card, write ‘Palm Grove Room.’

If you know Palm Grove Room, you go know say na coded spot. Big men, big women. To get that card, na connection.

That place na coded private kitchen—only rich people dey go there.

I just dey wonder—Auwalu, na where you collect this kind card?

Who know where Auwalu get this card.

Na street, na plug, na luck. He dey surprise everybody, including me.

Zainab mama shake head, but I see say Zainab eye dey on the card.

She dey try form like she no care, but I catch am dey look that card steady.

Auwalu form shy, scratch head, say, “Sorry to disturb, but I really wan know your daughter. I feel say I suppose ask you first.”

He play respect card. In Nigeria, if you wan enter woman life, better greet mama first. E dey work like jazz.

Zainab mama never see fine young man toast her like that before. She look her daughter, smile, say, “Una young people, e good to know each other.”

Even mama dey blush, dey laugh. Na so good boy package dey win elders.

Zainab na golden child wey her family dey hail. People dey always talk say her mama sabi train pikin. Since small, Zainab dey higher than her mama for house. This fit be first time person show her mama that kind respect, make her mama act like real madam.

For Lagos, na only special boys dey fit toast both mama and daughter, and both go dey happy.

I no go lie, Auwalu play am well.

If to say I never hire am, I for dey suspect say e fit collect my own husband join.

And Zainab?

She sharp, but na woman. If man package well, ego dey shake.

All finance women dey like money, no lie. Auwalu style, Patek Philippe watch for wrist, that coded restaurant card—everything join, na enough for her to show interest.

As dem dey sit, Zainab dey cross leg, dey look watch, but her eye dey shine. Money and class dey trip everybody.

As I expect, she stretch hand: “Emerald Securities, Zainab. We don meet before?”

She dey act like she no remember, but na code—she dey test am.

Auwalu act like say her sharpness shock am, shake her hand small: “We never meet. If we don meet, you for dey my contact list already.”

Sharp reply, soft smile. Na so Lagos boys dey win. Small compliment dey melt heart.

Auwalu shine teeth, act like mumu wey beauty dey confuse.

He dey do innocent, dey form like say na she get power. Women dey like that.

After, both of them exchange WhatsApp naturally.

No tension, no wahala. E just flow, like say na destiny connect them.

I check Auwalu new status—picture of am dey do coding competition. If you scroll, you go see am for Polo Club in Abuja.

E no wan carry last. E fit run ten different lives online. If you follow am, you go think say you dey meet prince for Instagram.

Just like that, he build rich, smart, deep family guy image. Photoshop clean, timeline make sense. Who know how many fake accounts he get. If I no sabi am, I for believe am too.

I dey learn new tricks every day. Lagos boys dey use internet package pass Yahoo Yahoo.

As Auwalu dey move, I know say I sef suppose act.

No be only one side go dey hustle. I gats play my own role too.

Baby hundred-day party dey come—perfect time to touch nerve.

This kind party dey bring all family wahala to surface. Na who get mind go show, and na who get heart go survive.