It has been two weeks since the Chinese buffet I went with the ladies only to have found out that the man who paid for our food was no one other than Kamal Madaki! Listen guys, Kamal Madaki as in the Kamal Madaki that everyone in Nigeria knew, not only Nigeria o but across Africa. This man was enlisted as Forbes most successful self-made billionaire to ever start an oil production company in Nigeria.

I promise, I wasn't stalking this man but every in Nigeria knew him. A whole Kamal Madaki who owned the popular oil and gas company named Lizon, I heard he bought three other oil production companies and also other companies under his name. According to Google, he began in the industry in his twenties. I wasn't sure how his story in the oil and gas industry began but I was aware of businesses he owned. All thank to Google.

We didn't get to thank him after he paid but I thought of it to be odd that he offered to pay sha. Wo everybody with their own, I can't stress.

That aside, my boss has come with her wahala in this hot afternoon. Over almost two months and no one has received salary yet. For two months I haven't seen kobo! I don't even collect day off o. I still have to deal with my mother and siblings wahala at home, NEPA bill was still there for me to pay, money for transport too and money for data and upkeep. I should be thanking my stars, Iya Yeside hasn't been pressuring me to become the family's breadwinner after my father's issue, she sef knew I was poor.

Why was I going to work without getting my salary abi? For this Nigeria where there was unemployment, you people want me to just wo shu shu and leave my job? Ah!

Wo, shingbain like this no dey my hand! All these unnecessary stress for me and one yeye boss was nau refusing to pay me.

I keep repeating this but you guys e just be like dem swear for me. How do I manage myself in this week like this? Abi kin salo ni? If I run, which money should I carry with me?

"Aunty Yeside, have you heard?" I heard Farah say as she tapped my arm lightly.

Farah was an NYSC Corper who has also been here not long ago, it's been like a month? She was sha the amebo in this office, imagine o even me who has been working here for four months, I no know reach pass wetin Farah know. Only Farah knew which collegue had work problem or personal problems, she was a gossip monger. Cho-cho-cho they have use eke to do her but I should not lie, I anticipated some of her hot gist.

Keyword: some of her gist.

I leaned back to my chair in my office with both of my arms folded and placed on my chest. Farah moved forward to me as she grabbed a chair to sit. "It seems this our Madam fiancée is going to catch her with all these small-small boys she is bringing to her office."

"Where did you hear this one from?"

"Do you live in a cave or what? Aren't you aware of the men, Madam brings here?"

I moved my laptop away to listen. "Eh ehn? Since when?"

"Last Friday, her fiancée caught red-handed like this!" Her arms were joined together as she said in a melodramatic way.

Frankly speaking, I wasn't aware that the men who have been coming here to see our boss were actually dating her. Lemme add allegedly abeg before Farah put me inside trouble. It didn't come to my attention, how was I to know?

"Ah!"

"Since then, she has been avoiding work now every of the work is left for her PA to do. Did you not see her frowning face, anyhow this morning?"

"Eyah, I pity her o," I heaved a sigh as I nodded in pity.

"Pity wetin? Pesin wey man dey wash like car." Farah remarked.

"Farah! This your mouth will not kill you, please be going. Don't koba me."

"I am not a wicked person o but you see if you are evil to people, you will surely reap what you sow."

"I don't know about that now, abeg be going. I have few clients to attend to soon abi you will take over my job for me?"

"Even that her fiancée, I heard he has a child outside of his relationship. Everything is just messy."

"Farah!" I yelled to her in caution, she laughed whilst pleading and finally left.

Nawa, this Farah was a case. After that, I attended to clothing designs a client needed for her fashion brand. There was another client who came for males wear consulting as he was the groom, it sha took me a while to get through our appointment.

***

As usual, I got back home that evening after work and met with; Iya Yeside, Fiyin, Jolayemi and Okiki as they chuckled and squealed together whilst steering at Okiki's finger. Ah ahn, what could possible be going on?

"You people are laughing without me?" I said to them as I came in. Suddenly, I saw Okiki showing off her ring finger, squealing and beaming in joy. On her finger, sat a beautiful silver with an emerald and diamond oval shaped plain ring on her finger. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Okiki, my younger sister was finally engaged. Ah!

"Look at the latest bride in town." Fiyin announced in excitement.

"Jason proposed last night!" Okiki shrieked again in delight.

Don't mind me and no, I wasn't jealous. Oya maybe small but everything seemed to have happened so quickly. So the gist was... Jason and Okiki have always known each other since high-school, we were living in Kaduna back then. Of course, Iya Yeside knew nothing about their relationship when they were in their junior year, just that Jason was in a class older than Okiki. Yes, they were high-school sweethearts. Jason was intertribal, his mother was igbo whilst his father was hausa. I remembered a day I sent him away from Okiki and warned him never to get close to her and now my baby sister was about to get engaged.

Omo dis one choke o.

They were kind of a perfect match for each other, with Jason being a chef and Okiki who was an English teacher, everything was going well for them.

"Last night abi you went to cook for a man?" I made a jest, taking a hold of her finger and admiring the ring. It was beautiful and looked majestic, I was sure that ring must have cost Jason alot, he was kuku a successful chef.

"My God is good, just look at the handwork of this my God ehn! After praying and fasting for fifty days and fifty night. He never sleeps o!" Iya Yeside danced around and jubilated making us all burst into laughter at her funny gesture.

"Mummy, when should we plan the wedding?" Jola was shining teeth, see this werey.

"My friend will you shut up and let me dance first!" Iya Yeside reprimanded.

"Iya Yeside she is not holding you." I rolled my eyes with a groan realising my throat. This woman was such a drama Queen.

She ignored me and continued with her small dance. "My enemies have been put to shame, so one of my daughters won't die lonely ehn? Ah! After all the gossiping Iya Mary and Iya Bisi were saying about me, that my daughters will die nuns so all this time, God was working."

Iya Yeside can be so petty, I knew this was a yab towards Fiyin and Jolayemi

"Who are the nuns, mummy?" Fiyin asked.

"Where is the man you have brought to my house, ehn? Answer nau!" Iya Yeside fired at Fiyin and turned to Jola. "And you, Jolayemi, where is your own? Abi does Okiki have two head ni?"

"I am only twenty-four abeg, mummy be calming down with this unnecessary fasting and prayer you give yourself." Jola voiced.

"Can you see that my enemies sent you to me? Can you see?"

"Mummy will you find one in shiloh for me? Finding a rich man is not easy o." Fiyin said, I could see through the sacarsm laced in her voice.

"Don't worry, I will continue praying for you, unlike other people too that want to die a lord of the rings," I knew Iya Yeside was directing those words to me. I glared at her and remained quiet.

"Mummy!" Okiki cautioned.

"Will you shut up?"

"Anyway, congratulations to you, Okiki. I am happy for you." I embraced her in a warm hug.

"Thank you! You are literally the best."

I turned to my mother. "Iya Yeside, congratulations to you too. I am tired." You see, my mother was like a fire, the more water the worser the smoke got so now was not the time to drag issues with her. I was aware Iya Yeside had issues I myself could not keep up with, lemme just pardon her for today.

"Mummy, you know how things can be hard for her." I overheard Okiki whisper as I sauntered to my room so I could crash on my bed and sleep because that was what I needed after too many e choke situations.