Bisi drove away smiling but she had not smiled over her glass of vodka at
SWE Bar that night. vodka wasn‟t really her thing, but the way her life was going
these days, a daiquiri didn’t cut it.
When everyone had gone from work earlier today, Funmi had called her in to
say that her name was on the list of those to be fired soon. Iphey was to have
been laid off due to lack of experience but Ayo had exchanged their names.
Imagine! She tossed back her drink and gestured the bartender for another. Look
at that „miss goody two shoes‟, the small girl had scattered her life.
Bisi remembered the party last Friday and it pierced her heart. First Ayo and
then Chinedu fawning over that small girl! Both men could have been hers. She
had slept with Ayo a few times soon after getting her job but he‟d dumped her for
Funmi. She had got her own back when he married someone else. And it helped
that Funmi was on her side. But now for the bank manager to put her job on the
line for Iphey.
“Damn!” Bisi tossed back another drink.
Then Chinedu. They had met at Cubes Lounge and he‟d been paying her
some good attention. They‟d talked, they’d danced, they’d laughed. And then
he‟d asked of Iphey. From then, he was no longer looking into her eyes, no
longer flirting, no longer touching her hips, no longer wanting her. And why?
Always Iphey, Miss‟oh look at me, I‟m all innocent, I don‟t know why men run
after me.‟
The bartender shoved the drink into her hand and walked away. First vodka
and coke, now strawberry daiquiri. She‟d asked for a vodka! Bisi hissed and
wished she could throw the glass at his thick head, but knowing Lagos clubs,
she‟d hit someone else and the end wouldn‟t be pretty.
Bisi hissed again and walked to the opposite end of the bar.
“Vodka.”
“What would you like that mixed with ma‟am?” That bartender replied.
“Just give me vodka jo!”
She‟d been about to gulp it down when her phone buzzed with a new text
message. It was her nemesis, Iphey. “I‟m on my way to Chinedu‟s place just in
case. Call me in thirty minutes.” Bisi shook in shock and horror.
“Oh, no.” She gulped her vodka and stormed out.
“You‟ve taken over my work, everything that‟s good, but you won‟t go scot
free.” She knew Chinedu‟s address, had asked that first night. She was closer and
would get there first.
“Danladi, I won‟t need you tonight.”
“Eh, Madam.”
Bisi hissed, slow people irritated her and this old man was painfully slow.
“Go home Ladi, I‟ll drive myself.”
She got there fast and pressed the doorbell. She heard a crash followed by a
curse and there he was.
“Hi, may I come in?” she said.
“Sure, come on in.”
Bisi chuckled knowingly. Her blue camisole always did that. She dropped her
jacket and sat down uninvited. “I know I should have called first, but…”
“It‟s no problem.” He cut her off.
“Are you okay? You seem aloof.” He was still standing.
“I‟m good. How may I help you?”
“I would you like something to drink.” Bisi smiled, “A glass of you would be
nice.”
“Excuse me?” Chinedu jumped a foot as though burnt.
“See, I don‟t usually do things like this but I really like you and…” Bisi got up
and placed her hands on his chest. “…I find you attractive and I…”
She kissed him slow at first, tasting, savouring and then hot, passionate like
he was her sustenance to life.
The alcohol fueled her ardor till there was no possible way to turn back. She
played the imaginary encounter, conversation and well, the aftermath until it
seemed to materialize itself before her. In her mind, he deliciously responded in
kind. She could feel his muscles tense as he made intense love to her.
“Blood of Jesus!” He shoved her so hard she toppled over the futon.
“Ouch! Hey…”
“I‟m sorry Bisi. But what are you doing? You know I like your friend. I don‟t
want this. I want Iphey.”
It wasn‟t like her thoughts. There was no Iphey in her thoughts.
Bisi shook in pure rage.
“Ha!” she spat. “Iphey? You want Iphey don‟t you? Ha!” She exhaled in pure
anger.
“I‟m sorry. Bisi, I really-”
“Shut up! You‟re not sorry, not as sorry as you will be when I walk out that
door!”
“Now Bisi, I don‟t understand-”
“I said, shut up! You want to be with Iphey huh? Ask her about the bank
manager.”
“Bisi what is wrong with you?!”
“Aw, baby, I love you too.” She hissed and stormed out.
Now she smiled as she recalled the expression on Iphey’s face. Served her
right!
“Damn! My fist is bleeding.”
Chinedu had hurt himself while trying to “express his anger” about Iphey
leaving like that but hadn’t even noticed until his eyes caught the blood on the
floor.
He walked into the house and went to the toilet to fix it up. He had just
finished washing his hands and was about to wrap it his fist in bandage when his
phone rang. He immediately ran out to look for it thinking it was Iphey. He
pressed on the screen to answer.
“It’s not what you think, I‟m not…” he began.
The voice on the other end broke him off saying, “Chinedu, it‟s me Aisha.”
“Oh, Aisha. How are you? You‟re calling so late, is everything all right?” He
sank back on one of his armchairs and tried to breathe more calmly.
“I‟m fine, only I just wake from sleep.” He heard her yawn on the other side
of the phone. “Iphey still dey there? She texted that I should call her in thirty
minutes but her phone is not going through. You sabi where she dey?”
“So she told you she was coming here?”
“Yes now. She usually does that when she‟s out late.” Aisha laughed.
“Nothing personal to you…”
Chinedu grimaced. “Do you know whether she told someone else? Like Bisi
for example?”
“It‟s possible since Bisi knows you too but I think she‟ll rather let her sister
know.”
“I see.” Chinedu replied. “So was it just because of Iphey you called?”
“Yes but now you mention it, I still dey vex with Habib. How could he say I
should not expect to hear from him in the next month and not say anything else?
If you can, please speak with him o. This one is a new thing he wants to start.
Abeg I no like am o.”
“I told you not to worry when we spoke earlier. But I will talk to him.”
Chinedu knew her brother who worked for the EFCC had just gone undercover
but he wouldn‟t tell her that.
“OK, make I go back to sleep. TJ go call me any moment from now.
Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” Chinedu replied, “and greet TJ for me.”
He dropped the phone and his mind went to Iphey. The scene with Bisi began
to make sense now. Iphey must have told her she was coming and the girl
decided to ruin it for them. It was lucky Aisha had added the last bit about why
Iphey let people know where she was. He had almost begun to wonder if they
were back to his checkered past. The truth was he really admired girls who had
character and virtues like Iphey.
There was just something about her that made him weak, she had that
“damsel in distress” look but somehow still managed to take care of herself. He
also thought she was incredibly cute, even cuter than his kid sister, who he had
thought before then was the cutest person in the world.
He still didn‟t know what Bisi‟s reason could be to mess them up. He‟d never
dated her so it must be something to do with the office. And then she had
mentioned their bank manager. What did she mean? That Iphey was sleeping
with the man? He decided he wouldn’t think about all that, if Iphey wanted to
think that he was fooling around with Bisi, so be it.
“If she can’t trust me now, what makes me think she will in the future?”
He was never one for drama. He picked up his phone and scrolled to the
phonebook. According to Aisha, Iphey had switched off her phone. He guessed
it was so he couldn‟t reach her.
Over the years in his life, he had learnt one policy. He never pursued
something he couldn’t let go of whenever the moment demanded it. So now he
scrolled to her name and chose the option delete. He hesitated, and then he
pressed on the button. The phone asked him if he was sure he wanted to delete
that contact and all their details.
