ONE

The early morning sun rays were already warming their way through the see through blinds of Adewumi's sardine canned room; she stretched her hand a few centimeters away from herself, and it met with Shola's lower back causing the latter to groan,

"Wumi! Stay on your side nah!" She grumbled pushing her cousin's hand away,

"Guy go to work nah," Wumi replied, still sleeping. Then someone violently knocked on the door shaking the entire place right to its foundation.

"Shola! Shola it's almost seven oh! We are going to be late!" She glances nervously at her watch, "aah! Shola see if you're not up yet eh? Me I'm not waiting for you."

"I'm up! I'm up!" Shola shouted, haphazardly picking up her things to take her bath. "A beg eh, give me five minutes. Let me just complete my makeup."

"Must you put on makeup? See just hurry please."

Piece of cake!!!

Shola could do her makeup in three minutes and still look like a black barbie princess. But taking a bath in under ten minutes was something else. But she did it all anyway in 15. Her friend and coworker, Jaiyesimi Akindele had no other choice but to wait.

Before 7:30, they were already standing before the gates of the hotel. They got inside just right on time and started about with their day jobs. Simi went about with her housekeeping duties while Shola took on her waitering tables in the hotel's restaurant. The day dragged on till noon. It was time for Shola's break.

"Shola abeg eh, I just beg, take care of that last table for me before your break. My period just popped up on me and it's bad," her coworker, Nene, hurriedly said, dropping her pen and note pad on the counter. "I owe you one," she finished, rushing away behind the doors leading into the kitchen.

"More like a hundred," Shola whispered to herself, letting out a heavy sigh. She was tired and just wanted to rest a little, just a little. But Nene had covered it up for her like a gazillion times; and she would do it again if need be. Shola dragged herself to the table faking a hard smile. Two people sat on the table: one who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else but there at that moment, light skinned, about mid-thirties; then a Caucasian male, in a Grammy awards-ready black suit. Shola could only see his strong tanned hands inside an expensive looking watch and his grey hair showing from behind a newspaper.

"Good day gentlemen! Welcome to D'lux Hotel. My name is Oma..."

"Just get me a bottle of your finest wine." The light skinned man interrupted, shoving away a red menu. Shola frowned. She already knew this one was a ruin-your-day kind of customer and she never liked them.

"Sure! Anything else?" She asked, but he just signaled her to leave with the wave of a hand.

"Isn't it too early to start drinking Sunday?" A husky British accented voice came from behind the paper,

"You said I could order whatever I want,"

"I just hope your senses are still intact when we meet the contractors, or you might end up jobless." His words didn't seem to have any effect on his counterpart,

"What can I get for you nice sir," Shola turned to the white guy behind the paper. 

"Just a glass of sparkly water," he replied folding the paper, giving her a clear view of his face. Strong and high cheekbones, fin pointy nose, small succulent lips and deep earth brown eyes. For just a second, Omashola became almost frozen, staring at the magnificence of the man before her eyes. He looked like he could have been in his late thirties or early forties but had the body of an athlete in his twenties. "Excuse me lady," he snapped a hand in her face,

"Sorry, sorry sir. What is it you said you wanted again?"

"A glass of sparkly water,"

"A what?"

"Water. Clean, sparkly water!"

Another jerk! Great! Shola thought rolling her eyes.

"Coming right up," she scribbled the word jerk next to bottled water on her notepad and turned away whispering, "As if what we sell here dirty water."

She went back to her station, she passed the wine command to Tunde, who was in charge of drinks and beverages. He filled up a tray with two glasses: a wine glass and a water glass, then one bottle of mineral water, and another of wine.

"Thank you Tunde." She almost whispered and carried the tray away. She carefully and respectfully placed the drinks where they belonged. "Will that be all," she asked. He was staring at her, something like surprise on his face. Sunday was already deep into his full glass of wine,

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" The white guy asked her, in light manner,

"I never said anything like that,"

"But you insinuated it, didn't you?"

"I don't understand sir; what did I do?"

"I know you don't serve dirty water here but you could have as well gotten it from the tap and the water that runs through the pipes of this country looks like something that has been used to wash the streets," his demeanor remained calm though his words weighed a lot of anger; or his ego. It had been badly bruised that a lowly girl like her had grumbled on his orders. He wanted her to know her place. He didn't care what method he had to use.

"I am sorry..."

"Save it. I don't want to hear it. Get me your manager,"

"What?"

"Your manager young lady!"

"But sir, I said I'm sorry." He reopened his paper and continued reading, ignoring completely her presence. Shola had no other choice but to do as he was asking. She knew she was screwed. Mr. Onuka was definitely going to sack her. He had been waiting for an opportunity to do so ever since she recorded an audio of him threatening to make her lose her job if she refused to sleep with him. Now he would have a genuine reason to get rid of her. What was she going to do? Where will she go? She had just run away from home after the numerous taunting from her family members about being jobless after all the money they wasted on her education. She had been squatting with her cousin who was basically doing prostitution to survive in Lagos. Now she was going to lose her only means of support. She really was screwed.

She got Mr. Onuka and directed him to the table that required his attention then went to the back of the hotel to cry. Her friend Jaiyesimi came to comfort her, and she narrated to her everything. Then she heard someone call her name, she cried hard,

"Just go eh. I don't think it's that bad. You might just get a warning or sanction. If Jude (Mr. Onuka) tries to do anything, you still have that leverage na! Just go." Simi told Shola. She crossed her fingers then left. 

Mr. Onuka didn't look happy at all.

"Clear the table then see me in my office." He told before leaving her. She rushed to the table, but it was empty. They'd left. The bottled water was completely untouched. The wine on the other hand was halfway done. Then he left ten clean bank notes of 10$. 

No wonder he's so arrogant! Shola safely told herself. She cleared the table and rearranged the chairs. As she straighten the tablecloth, she saw something, a brown Louis Vuitton leather wallet lying on the floor next to the chair where the white man sat.

"See as God dey punish people. they don drop wallet. Make things turn out bad for me; we go see how you go come get this back." She slipped the wallet into the pocket of her apron and continued with her cleaning.

When she was done, she made her way to Jude's office. He looked very suffocated inside his old ruffled coat and tie. Shola felt a little sorry for how overworked and under paid he was: so, she thought it wise to not annoy him more by him. She made the decision to accept whatever came out of their conversation.

"Why are you like this you this Yoruba girl? Why did you have to disrespect that client?"

"Aah! I didn't disrespect him oh! I just told him we don't sell dirty water,"

"Shut up! Shut your mouth! That mouth is what will kill you, you these women. Do you know the power that white man has? Do you even know who that white man is?"

"No sir!" Shola lowered her head, trying to feel ashamed, hoping it would remedy the situation.

"Well, what's done is done! But I will make sure something like this never happens again in this hotel. You're fired!" The word cut through Shola's heart like a piece of a broken mirror through flesh.

"But why nah? I just gave him one correction and he wasn't even supposed to hear it,"

"But he did Shola!" Jude shouted at her, "Are you stupid? Why can't you control these silly behaviors of yours? Do you know if I don't sack you now that man has the possibility to make lose my own job? Or to close down this hotel? Please please please Shola go. Come back tomorrow for your balance. Now leave my office." All words seemed to have left her. She quietly just stood up and left.

She went into the dressers and changed from her normal black and white attire to her own clothes. She didn't wait for anyone to come and throw a pity party for her. She just left without being seen by anyone. When she had gotten safely outside of the gates, Shola threw her head inside her palms and cried. She was so screwed. If only she had not used up all of her savings to make a passport for herself.

Now what was she going to do?

Then she remembered the wallet inside her apron.

"These people will learn how not to mess with Omashola Adunfe." She opened the wallet, but almost immediately closed it.

Wow!!!

She opened it again, "oh boy!!! See money!!!" Inside the wallet were about five platinum cards from different banks, a stack of clean dollar bill notes; not naira; dollars! Then there was a business calling card, a picture of an adorable blonde little girl and a necklace with a name tag, Lauretta.

Probably the little girl, his daughter maybe.

She went on to read the name on the card; "Solano. Huh! Solano A. Vicenze. Na which business card be this wey no get business?" She shoved it all back inside the wallet then shoved it into her handbag, "God please help me!" She cried towards the heavens, then turned to the roads for a ride.

She was so screwed.