Chapter 5: Family Drama and Mockery

My assistant dey sweat. My mama sabi threaten. I tell her say I get girlfriend, but since she never see Morayo, she think say I dey lie. She always wan make I find woman from better family, say e go easy. But any time she arrange blind date, I dodge. Now, e be like say I go gree.

"Call house, tell her say she fit arrange am anytime. We go talk when I reach house."

Assistant waka sharp sharp.

Morayo look me like say I be clown. "Kunle, just to save face, you even hire people act as your family. This one make me lose respect for you. Tunde better pass you hundred times."

She hiss, fold hand, face me like say na me dey disgrace family.

"Oga? Your acting too fake. I just break up with you, now you dey talk Miss Zainab blind date. Na comedy be this."

Somebody come talk to Tunde, and as Morayo talk, others look me like say I be dust.

"Na this one be Best Actress Morayo ex-boyfriend? No wonder she dump am. Only Big Man Tunde fit reach her level."

"Big Man Tunde na real guy—business dey move, babe fine. Na correct match."

Tunde dey enjoy the praise. He even face me: "Kunle, why you no come work for my company? Since you be Morayo ex, I fit give you junior manager, salary over five hundred k."

He talk am loud, people dey hear, some dey clap.

People start hail am again.

"Big Man Tunde too get mind."

"Big Man Tunde na better person."

"You no go thank Big Man Tunde?"

As their talk dey get more nonsense, I drop my voice, use that tone wey make people fear: "Find who dey in charge for Tunde family, make dem come see me now now."

My assistant sharp, he know say na Tunde family. He just answer yes sir.

I no expect Tunde to start laugh. "Kunle, you funny today. You wan call my papa? My papa no even dey country—he travel go UK. Hahaha."

He clap hand, others join am. All the fake respect dey my ear like mosquito.

I just dey play with my palm wine glass, dey look Tunde. Others join mouth.

"Guy, you no sabi your level. Apologize to Big Man Tunde."

"Apologize. Why you dey lie about Mr. Tunde?"

Tunde feel on top world. "If you apologize now, I go forgive you."

I hiss. "Apologize? To you? Make we see who go beg who soon."

My voice calm but my chest dey beat, I no dey fear any man. The elders for hall dey watch, dey reason wetin go happen next.

After the crowd laugh, I just clench my fist under the table. All the sacrifice I don make, all the things I give up for Morayo, na here e end? I swallow the pain, but I no go let dem finish me.