Chapter 3: Office Palava and Lagos Dreams

After I explain the dinner plans and all the do’s and don’ts to Ifeoma, Aunty Bola drag me again.

She just no fit stay one place. As soon as I drop schedule, she pull me by elbow, drag me reach kitchen. Her voice low, but e sharp like knife.

"While you dey house, that girl dey wear dress wey low for front, high for back—almost reach her belle."

She dey roll her eye, dey talk like say she see vision. "I tell am, 'Sister, if breeze blow, we go see all your secret.'"

"Shine your eye—no tell am everything."

She dey warn me, but I just dey laugh. Aunty Bola too sabi wahala. "Protect your job, oh! Ifeoma dey sharp. Lagos girls no dey play."

I just laugh reply her:

"If Mr. Akin no talk, e mean say e like am."

I dey calm, dey sip tea. I no get strength for wahala. I fit see say Aunty Bola dey worry for me, but my mind dey different place.

"Besides, I no plan follow Mr. Akin forever."

Na the truth. I get dream of my own. Lagos life na stepping stone. I dey plan bigger things.

I turn start to make coffee.

As I dey stir the spoon, my mind dey turn too.

I dey remember Mama advice—no put all your hope for one boss. Make plan B, make plan C. As I dey turn coffee, I dey plan my future.

Before I close for work, as usual, I drop bottle of Hollandia milk for Mr. Akin table.

Na my small way of showing say I care. Even if Oga no notice, e go know say person dey think of am. I arrange am well, dey check for expiry date.

Oga just dey chill with leg up, him shadow tall and straight.

Sometimes, I dey wonder if Oga dey rest at all. Even when e relax, you fit see tension for him body. Leg dey up, but brain still dey work.

"Mr. Akin, I don tell Ifeoma everything about the dinner."

I dey talk with respect. My voice no dey shake, but my hand dey sweat small. I dey watch am, dey read him mood.

"Remember to drink the milk before you go dey drink alcohol."

I talk like mother. Oga just nod. Sometimes, I wonder if e dey hear me at all. I dey pray make e take my advice.

E look me one kind.

Oga eye dey sharp. The way e look, I fit feel am. E dey check me like say e dey measure my mind.

E look the milk, then look my face.

E dey wonder if I care, or if I dey do eye service. I just smile, dey maintain eye contact.

"Amara, you dey disappear o! Na stress dey chop you?"

E talk am like diagnosis. I laugh small, say, "Na stress, sir."

Then, e change topic sharp sharp.

Oga no dey stay one place. From health, e move enter business. I just dey follow am.

"Na because I never give you enough?"

I dey confused. I open mouth small, dey reason wetin e mean.

"Ehn?"

I shock small, then I understand.

Na the day’s gossip don land for am. Aunty Bola run mouth reach Oga side. Lagos office no get secret.

Just that afternoon, wetin I tell Aunty Bola don reach him ear.

Fast, but no surprise.

For this office, even wall get ear. I just smile, dey manage the wahala.

I stand well, answer am:

I straighten my skirt, look am face-to-face. "No be like that, sir. I dey grateful. I just wan grow my own path."

"Mr. Akin, I plan wait till Ifeoma sabi the work before I give you my resignation."

I talk am gently, but my chest dey tight. No be easy thing to tell boss you wan leave. I dey pray make e no vex.

"Thank you for everything these years..."

I talk am from my heart. For all the wahala, Oga still teach me many things. I no go forget.

"How much the other company pay you?"

E frown small, like say na business negotiation.

The way Oga dey frown, e be like say I be share price for stock market. E wan know how much e need add.

Like say I be goods for market—

Oga dey see everybody as asset. E dey talk business, even with staff future.

Anybody fit buy me, as long as the money complete.

E no ask about happiness, na money dey matter for am. But me, I get my own mind.

I shake head, gentle but sure.

I dey sure say e no be about money. Sometimes, you need peace of mind.

"No be about money."

I talk am slow, with respect. I want make am hear am clear.

"So wetin happen? Na because I carry Ifeoma go dinner, or because you never rest well as you dey sick?"

Oga dey probe. E dey try find wetin dey my mind. I dey respect am, but I no wan talk too much.

"If anything dey worry you, abeg tell me."

For small second, Oga voice soft. E try show say e care, but I still dey careful.

E even dey try pet me small.

That one shock me. Oga no dey pet person. Maybe e dey soft small today. Life dey change person.

Evening sun just dey shine, one line land for him neck.

Sunlight from window dey draw gold for him skin. Na moment wey make person pause. E fine well well.

Him fine face half hide for shadow, just dey shine like sculpture.

Sometimes, I dey look am, dey wonder how person fit fine and strong like that. But I no fit talk am loud.

As I no answer, e lose him tie, open two buttons, small chest show.

That one catch my eye. I turn face sharp sharp. I no wan make mistake.

E close eye, rub him forehead.

E look tired, like person wey dey carry the world for head. For once, Oga look human.

The AC cold, but my back dey sweat under my shirt.