As Nene was about to mention who he was, her phone rang. She looked at the phone to see the caller, and after seeing the caller, she smiled as she answered in a low tone.
“Hello, how are you, handsome?” Nene spoke in a romantic tone as she answered the call.
She didn’t even wait to let the caller say a word after the hello. At that moment, I turned down the stereo volume, so the music didn’t interfere with her call. However, I was no longer paying attention as the call became romantic and annoying.
“Which kind wahala I enter today na,” I thought. First na Zee World man for her house, now na unknown caller.
My jealousy had already clouded my thoughts, as I was thinking negatively now. After the call, Nene informed me that it was her boss who called and that she always teased him with pet names.
“Tee, is everything okay?” Nene queried, as I was looking a bit moody. As a sharp guy, I didn’t want to look stupid, so I quickly acted on my defence.
“Nene, it’s just a slight headache”, I responded.
If only Nene knew I had served myself breakfast twice from her action. Now the conversation had changed.
“Sorry about the headache, Tee; we will get panadol from BLOOMS pharmacy for you”, Nene replied.
Deep down, I knew my problem was an emotional headache. My panadol was right beside me, sitting in the passenger seat.
We made a left turn at the Prime traffic light junction. We drove further for another two minutes, about one and a half kilometres from the traffic light, before arriving at BLOOMS supermarket.
If only all this drama were not happening, shey I for don act romantic, I for don tell Nene make she chill, so I go open the door for her, I said.
The supermarket had many customers, and the parking lot was congested, so it was not easy to see a space. One of the supermarket guards called our attention and pointed to his colleague, who directed us to an accessible area.
All on my mind was the Oga abi MD that called her and the Zee World master at home, chilling as I parked and unlocked the car.
I reluctantly said to Nene, “Nene, this headache is getting worse; I think I should stay back in the car and rest a bit.” All this was a ploy so I don’t walk with her moody, end up embarrassing myself, and have Nene think so weird of me.
“Oh, sorry, Tee, I also think you should stay back. I will get the panadol for you,” Nene assured me in a romantic tone.
“Abi na, my turn to receive romantic words. Abi, my position for today na errand boy among Nene’s romantic recipients. Am I the third guy for the day? Or the guy for house dey servicing department, while her Oga when call dey finance department, then me na logistics department?”
Imaginative thoughts were flying through my head, aggravating the headache as Nene made her way to the entrance to the supermarket.
“Why she no tell me who the guy for her house be after she finish the call with her oga? Should I ask her when she returns, or make I lock up? It was as if I was discussing with someone. Maybe my mind and emotions were debating between themselves, and I became the spokesman.
I yawned as I changed the loader of the car stereo to Loader three, a gospel digital audio compact disc. I selected Mercy Said No track by Cece Winas, so I can feel better, especially when it gets to the line, “Mercy said no, sin will never take control.” I had to encourage myself. Otherwise, this headache will show me pepper from thoughts I can’t help.
After twenty minutes, Nene came out of the supermarket with nylon bags. I unlocked the car as she opened the rear door and placed the bags on the chair before making her way to the front passenger seat.
“Tee, here is your panadol,” Nene said as she handed me the card for panadol and a bottle of water and Lucozade boost.
I took tabs and opened the Lucozade as I engaged the gear as we began our trip back to St Abz mini estate along Liverpool crescent. The rest of the journey was silent as Nene truly felt I had a headache, and I also wasn’t in the mood to talk, as the gospel music made me feel good.
We arrived at St Abz estate, and I drove to my parking space. I was about to assist Nene with the bag, but she declined and reminded me that I was not feeling too well and that she could handle the loads. We climbed the staircase together. As she got to her door, she rang her bell while I began to unlock my door.
The Zee world master opened the door and said “welcome” in a romantic way. Everything anybody said to Nene sounded romantic because of my jealousy. At this point, the effect of the gospel music was fading away as I entered the room. I went straight to my LG digital video disc player and inserted another digital audio compact disc. It was Nathaniel Bassey’s THE KING IS COMING ALBUM. I played the track, titled EMMANUEL, so I could feel better when it got to the line where he said, “The redeemer of my soul, and you’re the keeper, the keeper of my heart”.
As the song played in a low tone, I switched on my television. I tuned the DSTV to channel 406, one of my favourite channels, Al Jazeera, to see the latest global news. They were transmitting violent reports from the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. I remembered I had baileys in my fridge as I reached out for it and a glass cup in a bid to get tipsy and forget about Nene.
When I took my first sip, I heard a noise from Nene’s apartment. She was screaming, “Faster. after a few minutes, she was screaming, gently, please,” as if the guy was pounding her. At the same time, Tony, my mechanic, was also calling. I said furiously, “which kind wahala be this na?”
Watch out for the next episode.
