Hotel Palava - Episode 5

 

Adesuwa's POV

Rashidi Bello street, noisy as usual. Kids outside drawing figures on the sand, playing all sorts of games and singing rhymes with wrong lyrics.
When I got back from work, I struggled to sleep amidst the craziness. In the evening, I felt a tap on my lap as i laid on the three seater couch. I didn't move a muscle . It was definitely my aunt. 
I knew she would leave eventually but she didn't.
After several tries, she gave me a loud slap on my buttocks. I had to forcefully wake up.
"Wetin happen?" I complained yawning, "Why you beat me like that na? You beat the first, second, third, fourth time, I resemble small pikin?" I snapped and she hissed.
"Which kain mumu sleep you sef sleep so?" Aunt Magarette asked, "Wetin happen?" I cut in scratching my neck.
"You get visitor oh" 
"Who?"
 "He dey outside, see for yourself." 
Grudgingly, i went outside. Then i notice a car packed outside the compound, beside the car was my manager. 
He leaned on the car with his lip curved in a smirk. I became scared.
I walked towards him in fear, knowing I had to get into my 'dumb' character. I slightly bowed my her head before him.
"You're Adesuwa right?" Henry asked,
I nodded quickly like an agama lizard.
"You must probably be wondering why i'm here,and you don't know how to say it" he added and I nodded once more. 
I sighed in relieve, it felt as though he was reading my mind.
 "I've been looking for you and you happened to have left earlier than you ought to..."
My heart skipped a bit. 
Is he here to fire me? 
How was I supposed to tell him give a kind of gesticulation that I had things to do.
"And..no i didn't come to fire you

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/hotel-palava

. ...your friend, Lilian, she told me you had pile."
I nodded quickly, meanwhile cursing Lilian.
 Of all diseases, she picked pile. I began to wonder how a dumb person with pile act like?
My face molded into a grimace as if i was feeling pains. Then I touched my belly. 
His look wasn't even encouraging. He just stood there, almost as though he didn't believe me.
He later opted to get me drugs that I didn't need. I cursed Lillian once again. What happened to headache? Why pile?
He insisted we went to a pharmacy and we did. 
Of all pharmacy, it had to be the one Lilian's elder sister works in. I felt awful when she asked me "How hustle and I couldn't give my usual "We dey push" response.
When Manager told her I had pile, I could see the worry on her face. I still wonder why Lilian had to use pile.
"Ade how e dey do you?" She asked and i raised a finger up. 
 "Bae, bae, bae" i replied to make her understand my predicament. Felicia shut her eyes. I didn't know why she did, maybe out of shame.
"How did it come to this?" She asked in bini dialect. 
My face molded into a pitiful one. She wouldn't understand.
"Wetin you dey find, you go see am" she whispered looking at Mr. Henry.
"I'll go get the drugs" she answered with a long hiss.

Henry's POV

I stared in wonder.
 I almost believed her, I have to give her props for her incredible acting skill.
Should i play along? I thought to myself.
"I'm sorry about the pile" i pointed at her belly. "Have you used drugs?" I added and she shook her head. "Why?"
I saw her open her mouth to speak then she closed it., she probably didn't know how to explain it.
 "I understand a little sign language, you can let me know"
She tried her best to make gestures but I didn't understand.
"Sorry I didn't get that gesture"
Then she raise her palm up then leaned her head on it. 
"Oh you were sleeping" I guessed and she nodded. 
"Adesuwa your phone dey ring oh!" I heard a lady yell and Adesuwa shut her eyes in shame.
"Your phone?" I asked in shock. 
"You use phones too?"
She nodded her head then gestured as though sending a text message. "Oh you strictly send text messages" i asked and she nodded. 
"I feel the need to get you drugs"
"Uh-uh" she waved her hands.
 "It's no bother. Take it as a gentleman's gesture. I won't want you complaining that you couldn't show up for work tomorrow because you had stomach pile so..." I pointed to the car opening the door. 
"Lady's first"
After several attempt to avoid going, she finally agreed. We stopped by at a pharmacy close to the street. Adesuwa didn't want to go in but i forced her anyway.
We got attended to after waiting for a man who just bought a packet of condom.
"Wetin una dey look?" He asked and Adesuwa scoffed. 
He was probably feeling judged.
"Adesuwa, Adesuwa!" The pharmacist hailed. Adesuwa smiled giving her a thumbs up. 
"How your hustle?" She asked, all Adesuwa could was to fake a smile. I know a fake smile when I see one.
The lady suddenly looked at me. 
"Oga good evening" she greeted. "Good evening Ma, i..." I paused only to be interrupted by the pharmacist. 
"Na who you reject Chidi for be this?" She asked and Adesuwa shut her eyes in embarrassment. 
"Na Oyinbo guy? Why him voice be like who act movie for abroad?" She asked and Adesuwa nodded.
"The lady has pile and she needs drugs" I added and she turned her gaze to Adesuwa.
"Ade how e dey do you?" She asked in a worried tone and Ade raised a finger up. 
 "Bae, bae, bae" she replied and the pharmacist shut her eyes. I totally understood why she did. Anyone would!
"I'll go get the drugs"
"Thank you Ma" i answered almost chuckling.
I got home in a happy mood. I just couldn't stop laughing at the turn out of the day even while i had dinner. "Someone looks happy" Tosin said and i smiled. 
"A penny for your thoughts?" She asked and I shook my head.
"It's nothing serious"
"Mom is coming back tomorrow.

Read " The Picnic " by the same author ( Essien Eno )

. Life is going to be miserable for you, that I can tell you. Well, except you date Jumoke"
"I'm taking it slowly with her"
"She said it's too slow" 
She said? I recognize that tone, she's definitely playing 'informant'.
"Did she send you to talk to me?" I asked, "Yes she did" she replied and we laughed. Mom hasn't changed a bit.
 "And Jummy spoke to me too. She's still in tears from the cold way you spoke to her the other night"
"She wanted to s*duce me into having s*x with her"
"You never rejected her those times, why now?"
"Cause...." I paused. 
I didn't want to tell anyone, i haven't even discussed the matter with anyone except Niyi.
"I haven't said this to anyone but... Tosin i don't know if I'm going to stay for long, I'm not certain about staying in Nigeria."
 "Oh.." she paused, "I thought you were coming for good"
"No .. it's on probability"
"Why?"
"For starters, in London I get to live my own life without interference from mom and best of all is that there's no traffic there too. Traffic here is horrible!" I answered and Tosin laughed.
"In Nigeria, there are too much people trying to control and influence my life and affairs trying to control the choices I make. Mom, dad"
"It's your choice"
"How can I stop them? They're my parents. I respect them more than anything. I'm what I am because of them"
"Someday you're going to have to stand up to them and make your own choice" Tosin answered. 
"And you?" He asked, "You're still under them, living in the same roof with them"
"I'm still with them  because of my twins. I made a foolish mistake to get pregnant and now I'm paying for it with my sweat." She answered laughing.
"Are you going to tell me about what is cracking you up or you prefer I stay in the dark?" She asked and i laughed once more.
"Okay there's this girl at the hotel," I began with a chuckle.