THE EXCHANGE –
Episode 11
I told her everything and how I didn’t know what to do…to my surprise, my mum did not flip out. She told me to get myself together and that I needed to know what I wanted in life and in a husband. She told me not to make my decisions based on money because “money does not guarantee happiness”.
“You are the one that will live with the consequences of your choice. That’s why you have to choose wisely and not allow unnecessary sentiments cloud your judgment. Tunji has been with us through thick and thin…this new guy also seems to like you. Look deeper, look beyond the surface, and beware of ‘Greek gifts’…hopefully that will help you. I will keep you in my prayers but you have to make this decision on your own. I also want to be ‘àna olówó’ (A wealthy man’s in-law) but not at the expense of your peace and happiness” my mum added as she hugged me and said she had to go out.
I was home
for 3 straight days, trying to figure out what to do…Tunji didn’t even
know I was around, likewise the people working at my Salon. Bro Dipo was
also around and he tried to encourage me in his true, but harsh way.
On the 3rd day, Tunji came over…I tried my best to look like there was
nothing wrong. He however was acting strange. He wore a frown and
snapped at everything. I had to ask what was wrong with him. He said it
was nothing…he didn’t stay for too long.
After he left, I started to wonder what could be wrong with him. The following day, I decided to let things be and play themselves out…so I went back to work. The thought of the Salon I saw in Lagos, the mental picture made my shop undesirable. It was like comparing sleep with death…my heart wanted to own the Lagos Salon; especially since Baba T said he would give it to me without any strings attached.
“But would that be possible?
Would he really hand that kind of investment over to me without a motive
or with nothing to benefit?” I kept questioning myself. I was so
uninterested in my immediate surrounding that one of my customers
actually said I looked “detached”. She asked if everything was fine …I
laughed it off and told her I was just going through a rough patch.
Tunji came over later that day and his demeanor had not changed. He said
a quick hello, stayed for a while and said he had to go. He didn’t even
ask how my Lagos trip went or what the business proposal was about.
“Could it be that he was being suspicious? Or was he just trying to
make this decision easier for me?” I was beginning to get angry at
Tunji. The following day was a Friday…I had only been at my salon for a
few hours when Laide walked in. I was surprised to see her…she said she
did not like the way I left Lagos and just wanted to come check on me.
Besides, Baba T had been bothering her to come find me. I asked where
she parked and she said Baba T drove her down…he was waiting in the car
and didn’t want to come in because of my ‘boyfriend’.
I didn’t want
him to come in either so I picked my bag and quickly followed Laide to
the car. Baba T said he was sorry if he scared me with all the things he
said back in Lagos…that maybe he said too much too soon and he just
wanted to come clarify that he meant everything but would give me time
to work it out if I needed to. He begged me to come back to Lagos on
Monday to check out the Salon as it would be completed over the weekend.
I could see Laide in the rear view mirror smiling mischievously.
After the brief discussion, Baba T drove to our house to see my mum, but
she wasn’t home. He had brought her a lot of ‘provisions’ (Milk, Milo,
Corn Flakes, Corned Beef, Titus and the likes) and dropped them off with
an envelope that I could tell had money in it. He left for Lagos after
making me promise I would come on Monday.
As at that time, I
wasn’t sure if I would go to Lagos but I didn’t see Tunji for two days. I
went to his house and he wasn’t there….he finally showed up on Sunday
evening and when I asked where he had been, he got angry and said I
didn’t care about him or his future. I was shocked at his reaction
“You are the one acting up since I got back from Lagos…you are the one
that did not ask what became of the business proposal that took me to
Lagos…you are the one that has been incommunicado and unreachable and
you dare say that I don’t care about you” I yelled at him.
Tunji got up and started to walk away “When you know what you did, you know where to find me” he said and walked out
I was so angry that I almost ran after him to make a scene but my
parents taught me better than that. I could think of a thousand and one
things to say to him as he walked out on me. “Ęni tí à ń’to rí ę
gbàwę…tó ń’jǫ sán” (the irony of someone you’re fasting for but was
caught eating like a glutton).
In annoyance, I left for Lagos as
early as possible the following morning and went straight to Laide’s
house. My mum was wondering why I couldn’t wait till it was daybreak…I
didn’t want to tell her what happened between Tunji and I. She would
have wanted to intervene and I didn’t want that. I knew it couldn’t be
because of Baba T, there’s no way Tunji could have known. Even if he had
any concerns or I did something, I would have expected him to be more
mature and just tell me what it was…not even after I asked if anything
was bothering him.
Laide called Baba T from their home telephone
and he said he would come get me on his way to work…he got there in
about 30 minutes. He said he was dedicating the whole day to me.
He
drove me to the Salon and my god! It was breathtaking. It had the exact
name of my salon back at home but in lights and with grandeur. Laide
came with us, although she kept saying “three’s a crowd”…she hugged me
and was jumping up and down as we toured the completed project.
The interior was something else, I thought it was beautiful from outside until we stepped inside.
I didn’t know whether to cry or scream…
I didn’t know when I jumped at Baba T and hugged him real tight. “I guess that means you are moving to Lagos?”
He said. I wasn’t sure how to respond.
