Tohiba knocks at the door and says it’s me when Lekan shouts, who’s there? She sets her umbrella against the wall to dry. Lekan opens the door and she says hope they won’t steal it and he says what? and she points to the umbrella. Hope they won’t steal it. He says no and ushers her inside. Her slippers make brown skid marks on the carpet and he stares at them, and then at her. She sits in his favourite seat, unties her turban, and then reties it.
There was a man on the bus –she breathes in to prevent her mirth from spilling more than she means it to- that looked like Kazz Aluko. Had his egg head and everything, was even wearing his signature white, can you believe it!
And what happened to him? he asks, distractedly. Well. She pauses thoughtfully. Well he wasn’t Kazz Aluko. He sighs. It eases none of the tension within him, and she must sense it because she sits straight-backed and asks, where do you want to do it? He starts to speak, then stops.
Is the bedroom not okay? he asks.
Is the bedroom okay? he amends.
She considers it a moment. Do you still have that rechargeable lamp?
I will go and put on the generator; I wanted to be sure you were coming before wasting fuel. It is N178 a litre now. She says oh, and takes off her turban again. He sees her sniff it just as he crosses the threshold to the kitchen. A minute later, the generator is on and they are in his room. She closes all the blinds, and then requests that he turn on the light.
When they are done, she wipes her face on his coverlet and asks if he still thinks her fascination with being in the Kazz Aluko photo is dumb. His no comes several seconds too late. You still cannot see Ruqayya, she says as she gets off the bed and retrieves her bra from the floor.
Lekan comes to stand in front of her. He is a criminal. What kind of person is excited about being in the same picture with a criminal?
Until they caught him, it was the only one they had. And I looked good in the background, minus the mop. Because of that photo, I was elevated to assistant chief cleaner at the hotel. Why can’t you be happy for me? Why can you never be happy for me?
Lekan buries his face in both palms, and then looks down at her. Tohiba, what do people say when you tell them you left your baby’s father because he could not understand your happiness at being in a picture with a druglord? Tohiba zips her jeans and does the button at the top.
They say men are scum.
Lekan sighs. Please bring Ruqayya when next you come. Please. Tohiba tucks the end of her turban under its decorative bow and says she will think about it.
Written by Chantelle Chinwetalu