It was Mid January when work started to come. It was a time I needed to get my mind off things . Clothes and needles came to the rescue so I gathered alot of work till my legs started to hurt. I had lots of work. I did not mind but the urgency they always stated was maddening! I knew I could meet up. Most days, I worked midnight like I'm conducting a clothe vigil.
Aku mostly sold the clothes on display and she was good with the customers, especially the ones that wanted to eat off my profit and cost price. She was good with all of them, she was a beautiful girl, cheerful and easy going. She was always patient. I think most of the customers even amused her because of the way she twitched up her lips when they were negotiating. When we had no customers she would sit on a white plastic seat reading an old newspaper or revising her books for JAMB.
It was already noon by the time I completed the third dress. Coming out from the office, Aku was sleeping in a chair. I ignored her and went downstairs. I only saw Tunde in the mornings when I was passing his office to my shop or when I was leaving in the evening. Our greetings were always neighbourly, "Good morning " "Have a nice day " "Drive safely "
He had not come to my office after the 'introduction day' and that was a visit that was well explained but this one, what was my explanation?
"Hello, I came to give you a neighbourly visit" that didn't sound alright . I tried again,
"I came to re introduce myself to you" that one sounded better. Maybe he would laugh and think I am funny.
I saw him standing outside with De Pascal, the man that sold plastics in one of the shops downstairs . Right. The other neighbors were back, unlike that day when it was just two of us in the whole building. We were both jobless and easily passed as companions that day.
He turned his head then turned again sharply like he saw me only briefly at first. He waved his hand signalling me to come closer. Seeing me at the rail close to his office, he must have known I came looking for him.
"My lady" Tunde said, bowing. The other man laughed and I laughed along with him.
"Forgive me, my lady" he said and I laughed again before saying,
"You people are playing with me, abi? "
Tunde held my hand as he continued talking with the De Pascal then suddenly he squeezed my hands, " Is it not a nice idea?"
"Umm.." I began then I shook my head hoping Tunde will narrate the subject of discussion again. I did not want to ask because all the time while they talked I had debated with myself for reasons why my hand should be in his hands building up heat.
"Yes, it is indeed a nice idea" I said knowing Tunde was a smart man; whatever seemed nice to him was definitely nice. As I said that, he nodded with a smile.
De pascal hit our arms, "Ngwanu, Later " he said before hurrying back to his shop.
I freed my hand from Tunde as I followed him back to his office. Displayed in his office were frames of landscape drawing. "Do you draw? " I asked stupidly when I could remember he said it in my office .
"Yes" he replied.
I allowed my eyes travel round his office which was larger than mine. His table and seat were at the wall then he had a wooden stool and a bench that was padded with a brown suede. They were at the other side of the room, very close to the door. He used the place that I called my shop as office and I wondered what was going on in the cubicle that was an office to me.
"I planned to come greet you before the week runs out" he said half sitting on the table.
"Well, I beat you to it" I replied , shifting to my left leg, trying to find the stronger leg to balance my weight on. With that movement, he came to his senses, "I'm sorry, please sit" he said hurriedly dusting a suede padded bench with his hands.
"I have been so busy lately " he said after I sat still standing at the table, facing me .
"I think January is always busy." I replied.
"What you said yes to outside , when do you think we should begin? "
"Begin? " I asked ,using my hand to cover my amusement.
He shook his head, "I knew you weren't listening to that conversation. "
"I'm sorry. What was it about? " I asked, a little ashamed .
"De was asking if you had visited my home and I said, you would, this Sunday and then you gave your approval " he said, his eyes dancing around me with a smile.
" You are joking " I said, narrowing my eyes in a slit.
"Nah, he thought something was going on between us, With me calling you, my lady"
"Tunde you are joking, aren't you ? " I asked in a serious tone.
"Come on, my lady. Easy now. I am joking "he said, bending to hit my arm playfully.
"So what did I say yes to? " I asked, with same seriousness.
"The gutter issue. He was telling me how the cleaning was formerly rotated amongst shop owners which the sales assistants took care of." He began explaining.
"Now, that does not favour me because I work alone. I suggested we get people who will be cleaning the area and place them on monthly allowance. Because, Baby it would not be nice to see me cleaning the gutter "
I laughed at the image, really imagining him at the gutter with his trousers rolled up to his knees.
"What do you think? "
"Hmm" I hummed in thoughts. "How do you think we'll distribute the payment? "
"All shop owners will be making weekly contributions which will sum up for the monthly allowance "
My approval seemed to be for a good course but I knew some people like the woman who sold 'Okirika ' bags upstairs who would oppose this improvement. She would definitely prefer that poor boy who walked with her to clean the gutters.
Tunde went round his table and pulled out the drawer. He came up with a magazine and handed it to me.
"What do I offer you? " he asked as I began to flip through the pages. I smiled then told him I was okay. It was a fashion magazine, a male fashion magazine.
"They are beautiful clothes " I said.
"I want you to help me choose which you will make for me."
"I'm sorry, I don't... "
My phone began to ring, cutting short my excuse. I looked at the caller briefly, "I don't make male clothes " I finished before picking up the call.
"Nene, what time are you coming around ?" the caller asked.
I had totally forgotten I had a delivery to make. I checked my watch, it was almost four o'clock.
"I'll be coming now" I said before I ended the call.
I looked at Tunde who was looking at me with a raised eyebrow. "I have got to go, it's a customer " I said apologetically.
"That's alright " he said, reaching into his drawer again. "Please dial your phone number in my phone so I can call you if you get missing. " He handed me the phone, a Gionee product. I smiled and tapped my digits into the phone.
The customer's house was a house I knew too well. She only came to the shop a few times then I started to come to her house for her measurements and to deliver the clothes.
Hooting at the gate, the gate man peeped and recognized my car then he opened the gate.
"Madam, the madam " he hailed as I drove past not out of respect for me but the money in my bag. He just didn't know that today was not like some days.
I came down and checked my tyres after I had packed .
"Nene! "
I looked up to see her at the balcony . "Good evening, ma!" I shouted.
"Come upstairs" she replied.
Mrs Idika was always upstairs, like she loved purnishing me.
I hated stairs. They did nothing to me but I would prefer an elevator anytime. That's just how my laziness talks. I was lucky to get an apartment that was downstairs where I could even park my car right infront of my door. Luck now left me when it came to work place.
"My beautiful baby " she smiled extending her hands for a hug when I got upstairs . I went in for the hug, bending to wrap my hands around her also.
" I have not seen you this year and you look so radiant" she said, using my hand to urge me to spin, and I did.
"Thank you ma" I said. She always made me feel younger and beautiful and I could not control my blushing.
I brought out the clothes I brought for her while she sat relaxed, smiling at me. She examined them with constant, 'this is good' , 'this is good'. I would have been heartbroken if she said otherwise because I always introduced most of my new designs with her clothes.
When I was ready to go it was already dark. She had persuaded me to wait till she finished cooking and I stayed, at that time I thought that was all till she said,
"Can you wait for me to bathe so I can walk you to your car"
"No, ma. I'm good " I tried to disagree but she was not having that. I did not understand her insistence but I waited anyway. She took a very long time bathing. When she came out, I stood up saying I was ready to go.
She pushed up her lips in a pout then said, "My son, he has not gone back since after Christmas and new year celebration. I want you to meet him"
I nodded knowingly. That seemed a better explanation for keeping me longer. "Mummy, I will come another day . I need to get home, it's dark already "
"Nene, we have spare rooms. I just want you to see him, just seeing. "
She looked so cute and funny while pouting. I knew I was not going to win that war so I stretched my legs infront of me and made myself at home on the couch while we waited for her son.
Mrs Idika got her self busy with an Indian movie channel. I tried to join her but I always dozed then came back to consciousness like a security man sleeping on duty."Nene! "I woke up to the sound of her voice . I bent my face and used my hands to wipe off the sleep then I looked at her tiredly, earning her pitiful look."Chai, don't worry, you will sleep. I just heard his car drive in " she said.I arranged my gown that had somehow rolled up half way my thighs then I wiped my face again. My hair was my signature 'bob' which never stood to rebel against me . I didn't know how she heard a car drive in with the generator noise like a loud trombone. I waited, she waited.A minute.Three minutes .Five minutes ."I thought I heard him drive in " Mrs Idika said, resigned. I turned to her and shook my head tiredly."Come
The sun was at work before I got to work. I parked in the restaurant opposite my work building. Coming down from the car, I saw people gathered downstairs. Not under any shelter but outside! Vulnerable to the diligent sun.From where I stood, it didn't look like a peaceful meeting. I wanted to return to the car and wait for the hurricane to pass then I saw the landlord. He was a tall, scary looking man with his bushy beards that could even hide a small chick. My leg started moving before my brain realised.I crossed the road to where everyone was and began searching for familiar faces but! not madam Chinaka that was vibrating in the crowd. Then I saw Aku, sitting on the rail outside Tunde's office. I breathed a sigh of relief and hurried over to her. She jumped down on seeing me."Aku,
I still could not concentrate the next day at work. I could not even hold my head up to look at Tunde for long. He was leaning against the closed door in my office, his legs crossed at the ankles and his hands in his pocket."What is actually bothering you?" Tunde asked as I cleared clothes off my table and dumped them on the sewing machine. I hopped on to the table, burying my head in my hands."I know that you are bothered about her coming down but didn't you ever want her to know ?"I told myself that I would tell her but I also knew I could not bring myself to tell her. I had to be drunk or not in my right state of mind for me to ever tell my sister that we dated the same man. I had evil plans of ending her relationship with Mathew but not telling her."No" I replied him.I raised my eyes slowly to look at him, to see his reaction. But his face bore no ju
Morning came quickly like it supported my self pity. I lay still in bed, staring in the darkness.A loud banging outside caused me to sit up in alert. It sounded like the rumbling of the heavens but this one came too close as if the clouds had descended to my roof.I unzipped the gown I wore to work the previous day and still sat, hugging myself in anticipation of another one so I would be certain if it was a warning of a heavy rain. Then it came again, a loud banging on the door. It seemed like an attempt to pull down the door not a knock.It was still dark. My hands reached for my phone to check the time, it was a few minutes past five in the morning.I made to the front door and because I was expecting my sister, I ignored all security protocol and opened the door. Ada was there. She was wearing something white. She walked past me into the house. I noted the oversized polo she wore before lo
I started my Sunday morning on a painful note. I did not know which side I was on. I reached out for my phone that was always on the stool close to the bed. The stool wasn't there, I rolled, next thing, I was on the floor. I struggled up, trying to find my way in the darkness, I bumped into a stiff object." Damn ! " I cursed through gritted teeth, rubbing my hand on the object to feel it . It was the sewing machine. I realized then, I was in the guest room. I could not remember where I had kept my phone or any source of light. Off I went, farther into the darkness. I did not bother keeping my eyes open, I just shut it while feeling the walls till I reached the door leading to the parlour. I hit my leg on a stool twice before I found a lantern. I slumped into a couch with a heavy sigh.The rest of my Saturday with Ada was uneventful. It was like we avoided ours
'SPRINGS OF GRACE' was written in clear, bold letters on a banner at the gate. Inside the place was a white storey building, with pillars decorated with colorful ribbons. It was facing the gate and beside it was a bungalow , which I saw children running around .I found a space to park in the parking lot beside other cars. Just with the crowd of cars, I knew it was a big church and I was a little late. I even expected it to be close to the time for church offering.Walking into the church, I felt swallowed up. I did a rough summary of the crowd to expect inside but I was not even close. A female usher came and offered to take my bag, I declined. I needed something to keep my hands busy while I followed her. We moved through the aisle till she found a pew with space. It was the fourth pew in the row.I was mostly grateful for the hymn they were singing that suppressed the sound of my heels and grateful I did not apply
Mathew's gate was grey with a large drawing of a lion head staring in front. The gateman let us in when he saw me. I had asked Ada to wait in the car but she insisted on coming in. "Incase things go out of hand" she said. I knew Mathew. He was not violent. He was mostly quiet but that Mathew I knew was also faithful, truthful and he turned out to be a liar and a cheat. It was like I did not know the person at all.The surrounding was same and very familiar. It was a one storey building. There was the boys quarter opposite the main building where the driver and gate man stayed. His three cars were just being washed by the driver. It was his customary way of washing the three cars every day even when his Oga used just one car for a whole week or more.I rang the doorbell and waited. Ada was tapping the wall rhythmically and humming. I just stood, hugging myself waiting till it would be reasonable to press the
Ada's face held anger in its pointed glare. She challenged him in silence to dare touch me. I was used to that look, she used it when we were growing up in her protective state."It's fine, let us go" I said. I brushed past her, rolling my box behind me.I played music to fill the silence in the car as we drove home. Ada was more interested in looking out the window."Are you okay? " I asked, throwing her a quick glance.She nodded with a smile. "It just feels somehow. It's like the end of a life."I smiled. Understanding her more than anyone else would. "We would be fine" I said. It was what I wanted myself to believe.