Chapter 5: Waiting for the Truth

Phone ring three times. No answer from Musa Danladi.

For my mind, I dey beg make e just pick. Even the small kitchen knife for my hand dey shake.

My face squeeze small.

I try smile, but my mouth no gree. Some crew dey hide dey laugh.

E ring again, he cut the call.

Na so my heart drop. I look my phone like say I fit use eye talk to am.

I just hiss. I remember wetin Secretary Bello talk: “Chairman Musa dey meeting.”

E mean say e no be personal. But for TV, e look like disgrace.

Musa Danladi no be just rich boy wey dey play—na real CEO, serious for work. To hang up for meeting no new thing, but he dey explain later.

That guy get calendar like minister. If him papa dey Abuja, e no dey slack. Even if e dey with me, business first.

But this kind time, e pain me small.

I dey feel say all eyes dey watch me fumble. For my mind, I dey curse Halima small.

Comments just dey finish me:

[Comment: See this one—she think say she fit chase clout like this?]

[Comment: She really believe say young oga go look her side?]

Dem dey use all kinds of insult—clout chaser, liar, even dey mock my acting.

Halima Bako look me with half smile: “Tolu, you dey joke for show abi?”

She roll her eye, tap her ring for table, the sound loud for mic. E be like say she dey show me say she don win.

She raise her hand with red nails make camera see am: “But you no sabi joke. This your own no funny at all.”

The way she talk am, e be like person wey dey chop sweet but dey find trouble.

Everywhere just cold.

Even the generator sound reduce, as if the whole building dey feel tension.

Host force smile, wan move on: “Halima, you don decide who you go invite?”

She dey try save the show, but everybody dey look Halima.

Halima Bako nod, face camera. “I dey invite one designer wey get family legacy. He say he dey come now now.”

She talk am as if she dey announce president arrival. Even her posture change, she straighten like queen.

Comments dey hail her.

People dey shout say "Our star no dey carry last!" Some dey beg make she drop designer contact.

[Comment: Our star get correct connection!]

[Comment: Who be the luxury designer?]

Host ask her about the designer.

She begin explain how the designer dey make cloth for all the big men children, how him get show for Lagos Fashion Week. Even the host dey nod, dey pretend say she know the guy well.

That time, my phone vibrate. Na message from Musa Danladi.

My heart beat rise—e fit be hope!

Musa Danladi: [Baby, I dey meeting. My papa dey for year-end review—I gats respect the old man.]

I fit imagine him face, the way e dey serious when family dey around. E no dey play when papa dey. Family meeting for their house na like boardroom.

Musa Danladi papa no dey smile. He don even blast am before for the tattoo for him waist.

That day, baba almost carry cane pursue am. He dey call am "oyinbo pikin," say he wan spoil family name with body art.

Just last night, Musa Danladi dey complain inside bathtub, say him papa insult am: the hibiscus tattoo na for me, but he no fit announce our relationship—e pain am.

He dey talk say if to say na him way, he go put my name full chest. E dey pain am say him family no go gree. The struggle real.

He hold my waist, both of us and the water dey hot, I no fit run.

E be like say we dey inside one small heaven. The foam dey high, my skin dey melt for him body. I just dey feel peace.

He dey beg beg till I finally gree say we go go public.

He swear say e go announce for him own hand, say e no go let Halima or anybody steal my shine.

Now, see as opportunity just land.

I dey feel say God dey use this show test am.

But since he hang up on me just now, I no even send am.

My pride dey strong. I just want make am reason say I no be person wey dem dey push aside.

I explain the show task, then add small pepper: [If you miss this chance to go public, na to wait for another chance o~ Whether you come or not, na your hand e dey~]

I add small emoji, make am look playful. But for mind, na subtle warning.

Sharp sharp, he reply: [I dey come now now.]

As I see the message, small joy dey my belly. I dey pray make no traffic hold am for Maitama.