Chapter 3: Secret Camera Wahala

If na only that one, e for better.

I dey tell myself say na secret wey go die with me. No wahala. But e no end there.

But half month later, my bestie call me:

I dey reason say maybe na birthday wish or money request. But as she call, e voice serious.

"Momo, you touch my house camera that time you stay for my place?"

My heart skip, my ear begin hot. Wetin be this?

My head blank:

I dey act innocent. I dey repeat for my mind: God, abeg, cover my secret.

"You get camera for your house?"

She laugh small. "Yes now. Na abroad I dey, so everywhere tight."

She say, "I dey abroad, so I put camera everywhere for my empty house. Today I just check, all the cameras work except the night you stay—the video for that night disappear."

My leg begin shake. Na which kain wahala be this? I dey remember all the position I take sleep. If person see that video, how I go explain?

Fear grip me.

My mind dey run marathon. Na who delete video? E fit be say her brother sabi wetin happen?

Na her brother delete am?

I dey suspect, but I no fit talk. I dey dey, dey try calculate how I go ask her small bro question.

E check video after e wake, see wetin happen, quick delete evidence?

If na so e happen, at least na sharp guy. E save all of us.

My heart dey fly.

Chest dey drum, sweat dey my palm, even for AC room.

I gats find out.

E better make I know wetin sup than make I dey guess till tomorrow.

"You put camera for all the rooms?"

I dey try find small hole — maybe parlour na exception. Maybe I fit dodge wahala.

She answer, "Yes, everywhere except bathroom. But that night, all the video miss. I no dey blame you—I just wan confirm. If no be you, and hacker carry video of you sleep, na wahala."

My body cold. Na so dem dey enter internet gist, one kain way.

I jump.

I nearly shout, but I hold am. I dey wonder if I fit swear say na me.

Na her brother carry the video before e delete am?

I dey imagine say e fit see the video sharp sharp, e run delete am before person go find am. At least e save my face, abi?

I just wish make ground open swallow me.

For that moment, if I fit disappear, e for sweet me. I dey imagine village people dey dance for my head.

But I no fit let my friend go ask her brother.

If that one open mouth talk wetin happen, wahala go burst. Na better family meeting go follow.

I just swallow am.

I carry am like woman wey dey born pikin — I no talk again.

So I talk: "Haha, na me delete am. No be hacker. I no wan make you see as I dey sleep anyhow."

I try laugh, form sharp babe. No wan make she suspect anything.

My palm dey sweat, heart dey drum kpam kpam, as I dey hear her voice.

My friend just laugh for phone: "Get out! As long as no be hacker. Na today I even wan help you delete am sef, so e good."

She just laugh, her voice soft. She trust me. I dey thank God for her soft mind.

As she laugh, my chest loose, like say heavy load commot.

After call, I still dey fear.

Anytime phone ring, my heart dey jump. I dey pray make nobody call me for that matter again.

Dey wait whether her brother go come find me.

I dey expect say e fit chat me, or even drop small joke. But guy silent, e no talk anything. Na so e be.

But nothing happen.

Time dey heal all wounds, dem talk. But sometimes memory dey sharp pass razor.

Time pass, I just forget the matter.

After some weeks, even my mind dey calm. I push the thing for back of my head.

Na only sometimes, when I dey watch film see kiss scene, my mind go remember that sweet confusion that night.

If I dey chop popcorn, dey watch romance, na so memory go flash. I go smile, then quickly chase am.

I go blush, remember small, then quick shake am off.

Body go warm, my ear go red, but I go use gist or phone distract myself.

Sometimes, if my friend mention her brother, I go listen well, but I no fit ask anything.

I dey pretend say e no concern me, but my mind dey alert. I dey try catch gist, but I no dey ask.

I no believe say after six years, I go jam am again for infusion hall.

God get sense of humour. Na so old flame go enter my life when I dey weakest.

Uche Lanting just waka come my side.

E leg long, e movement calm, e eye dey shine. People dey watch us, even nurse pause.

No, to talk true, e waka go meet the fine boy opposite me.

At first, e just dey talk with the guy wey dey snap me. Dem gist small, share handshake, guy dey show am phone.

Like say na that time e just notice me.

E turn, e eye jam mine. For one second, air still.

E pause, eye dey search my face. For one second, the whole hall quiet, even the fan slow down.

E look me with surprise and one kind soft smile:

I see am, I nearly melt. My heart dey drum, my mind dey replay all those old memory.

"Sister Momo, wetin you dey do here dey take drip alone?"

Na so e talk am, e voice deep but soft, like say e still remember everything. My body just dey shake, but I smile. Na so old wahala dey show face for new day. But this time, I no sure say my heart go fit run—e be like wahala just dey start.