Chapter 6: Palm Grove Games

6

For road, I dey imagine different way to greet her.

I dey rehearse smile, dey adjust shirt, dey check my face for glass like say I dey go first date.

I no want make she see say I miss her, but I no want act like I no send. I dey reason whether to show small swag. With nervous heart, I open the private room door. As I open am halfway, I see her.

The place dark small, but I fit see her skin dey glow. She cross leg, dey nod to music wey only she fit hear.

She don cut her hair short, small curl dey, dey fall for her shoulder, big pink earring dey hang for her ear, dey touch her collarbone and strap.

Her style change; the whole bar dey look her. Na slay queen with small rebel spirit.

Strapless top, very short leather skirt, long boots cover her leg—she just look like real slay queen.

She dey command space without even trying. Waiter dey bow, dey smile, people dey peep through curtain.

I enter, wan talk, but my mood just fall.

My chest tight as I see say I no be only man for the table.

One guy dey sit near her, young, fine face, body get muscle.

The guy get small beard, na like those tech bros wey dey snap for Instagram.

Morayo just dey close to his mouth; the guy dey talk, she dey laugh like say e sweet die.

Her laughter loud, e dey echo for room. My mind dey hot.

That moment, I no even know if I suppose stand or waka.

My stomach twist like when you chop bad eba. I dey freeze for door. My pride dey fight my sense.

“You don come?” Morayo see me, like say I be old friend.

Her voice dey carry sarcasm. The way she introduce me, e be like she wan test my spirit.

“Make I introduce you: this na Qudus, person I meet for hike. This na Allen, my… good friend.”

She put small emphasis for "good friend." I notice Allen dey size me up.

Allen stand, stretch hand, talk for broken English: “Hello, I be Allen.”

The handshake strong, but e cold. I no dey move muscle.

“Na foreigner?” I ask.

His accent thick, face dey sharp like oyibo wey just land. My eyebrow raise.

“Sorry, my English no too good. I dey work for Glo, I come Nigeria for training.”

My ear stand. Na Halima company be that. Destiny wan show me film today.

I shock—Glo na Halima company.

For my mind, wahala dey cook. I just dey play along.

I smile, talk, “I sabi Glo, na big company. I hear say all their big people young die.”

I dey try drop info, make everybody relax. My voice dey betray my chest.

Allen happy, say, “Yes, our youngest VP never reach 30, and she fine no be small.”

Na Halima e dey talk. I quick act interested, ask, “Na so? You don see her? Wetin make her fine?”

I dey test the waters, dey wait for gist.

Allen raise thumb, talk serious: “She too fine, but na her brain matter pass. Madam Halima na the best professional woman I ever see. She dey serious, dey work hard, dey humble, dey treat everybody well. I fit talk say every man wey meet Madam Halima, dey fall for her.”

As e dey praise Halima, my stomach dey twist. I dey force smile, but my hand cold.

I just dey nod, but my mind dey scatter.

Jealousy dey bite me. My own wahala still dey ground, now another man dey talk my wife matter.

I know say Halima na correct babe, but as I hear another man dey praise her—especially after I just cheat—my body just dey pain me.

Na like punishment for my own sin.

“Some friends never reach. Sit first.” Morayo point corner, go back dey hold Allen. Dem hold hand, thigh dey touch, mouth dey almost meet when dem dey talk.

Na me and my shadow dey chop shame together. I dey look as Morayo dey flex, my body dey burn.

I just dey look myself.

I dey ask myself—na here I land? After all the mountain adventure?

Me, I still dey think of one-night stand, but for her, na nothing.

If na competition, I don lose round one.

So why she call me? I be extra?

My head full, but I dey form calm.

I just sit, dey reason. I no know when Morayo come sit by me.

She waka come my side like say nothing dey happen. Her perfume dey enter my nose, body dey touch my arm small.

“You miss me?” she whisper for my ear again.

Her voice low, but e carry current.

I look Allen; the guy dey play with phone, like say nothing concern am.

Abi na so she dey do all her flings—just dey flex everybody?

My mind dey debate, my heart dey run.

“Talk now—you miss me?” She dey look me, dey smile one kind.

She dey tease me, dey wait for my pride to fall.

I just talk as e be.

My mouth no fit form lie again.

“No be only me dey miss you, abi?”

I talk am as e dey hot.

“Jealous?”

She dey eye me, mouth dey twist.

“Yes, I jealous. Since you get new person, why you call me?”

I talk am, voice low.

“You wan know?” Morayo pick one beer from table. “Drink am, I go carry you go better place.”

She dey challenge me, like say na bet we dey.

I carry beer, down am once.

My chest dey burn, but my mind dey clear.

“You try.” Morayo kiss me for cheek, then drag me go upstairs.

Her hand firm for my wrist. She dey lead, I dey follow. Upstairs dark, only small bulb dey show way.

Upstairs na karaoke bar; no be singing time yet, everywhere dark, quiet.

Na only sound be my heartbeat and her shoe for floor. I dey follow as if I no get choice.

She carry me reach end of corridor, open private room.

Her hand steady for lock. I dey wonder if na plan or she just dey improvise.

She lock door, rush enter my arms, dey shake as she talk, “Kiss me.”

Her voice almost break. I fit feel say emotion dey mix for her chest.