Chapter 11: Fine Dining, Hard Truths

Na when my parents comot, I finally rest. Heavy load just fall from my chest. I open bedroom door, Morayo rush hug me like scared goat.

Her small hand dey tremble, voice low. "Sorry. Na my fault, make you fight with your parents."

I pinch her cheek wey tears stain, try console her. "Na my fault. I make you suffer."

I carry Morayo go that big restaurant wey she dey dream to try. One meal—almost two hundred thousand naira. She still dey cry, but smile like small pikin. She dey easy to please. For table, I help cut her steak, wear glove peel prawn for her.

Her laughter come soft small, eyes dey shine. She dey chop, come ask, "Tunde, you don ever peel prawn for another person before?"

I freeze, shake head. No. True true, no. Before Amaka, I no get girlfriend. School time, na book I dey face; after school, na work. So as dem arrange me and Amaka, we just start dey. I dey learn online how to please woman, dey buy gift, wan peel prawn for her. But she go smile, refuse.

"Just to chop and watch film together na holiday, no need waste money. I fit peel am myself. You dey work hard, no need dey pamper me."

That time, I think say Amaka too nice.

The steak fine, but for my mind, suya for roadside still get another level.