January 2020

  No music resonated from iya misturah's bar as usual because it was under lock as a new year had begun! Few of the traders too didn't open their shops while most of them did.

  Some kids played suwe, while some either played police and thief(a game of hide and seek) or rolled tyres to and fro. A red and black cock was seen trying to force itself on a white hen which   fled at any slight chances.

  Jasper, a mentally derailed man who always roamed the street was seen dictating figures to a desperate Jide who would in turn go try his luck with Baba Ijebu(a lottery), people thought Jasper pretended to be mad because he always gave the winning numbers.

  Salma sat in the verandah with some of the neighbours when a lady walked to them. She was probably in her midtwenties clad in a purple off shoulder top and a white palazzo complimented with gold sandals, she packed her virgin hair in a bun and applied a little make over on her oval face.

She was curvy in the right places and her dark skin glowed gloriously, in her right hand was a medium traveling bag.

"Good afternoon," Kemi greeted and bowed her head a little.

"Afternoon o, who you dey look for?(who are you here for)," mama Sarah asked.

"I'm here to see Adeola,"she replied as she studied the building, she felt guilty for a second for not appreciating what she had.

Salma's blood boiled at the mention of Adeola, she had seen him thoroughly arrange his room yesterday before going to church for cross-over night, She would have asked him why but her parents were around and they agreed to see or talk without anybody knowing.

"Who be Adeola(who is Adeola)?"Chinelo asked as she scrutinised the lady whose dressing depicted richness.

"Haba, na prof Timothy na(common, it's prof. Timothy now). His yoruba name is Adeola,"mama Sarah replied

"It's the fourth room by the right,"Ada replied Kemi's unanswered question.

Ada was of one of the runs girl in the compound, her skin had multi-colours due to the bleaching creams she was unfortunately addicted to.

Ifeoma, Bisi and Caro were her roommates and colleagues, the trio had gone to their clients while Ada had to stay back because she was now considered a bad market.

"Okay, thank you ma,"Kemi appreciated and walked into the hallway.

"Ah, sister Mary how you dey na. You no even greet us(how ate you, you didn't even greet us)," Chinelo shouted as she sighted Mary who was just few steps away from the house and to the mosque.

Salma felt a flicker of irritation, the sight of Mary made fury twist inside of her, she always acted like she was perfect.

"I'm sorry mama Chisom, Good afternoon everybody o,"Mary greeted.

"Afternoon o,"everyone responded except Salma.

"Sit down na, e get one thing wey been dey do me somehow(there's an issue that has been bothering me),"Chinelo said and passed a stool to her.

"Oh really??, I'm all ears,"Mary collected the stool, placed it on the floor and sat on it. Her sitting posture was like that of a pastor's wife ready to listen to the problems of the church's members.

"Hmm, I was coming home after having hawked so I saw a man with one of these SU I know so well, so well o,"she emphasized on the last last three words and continued. "And they would be the ones going around to preach against premarital marriage," Chinelo narrated and skipped the part where she peeped and was bathed with warm water.

"Haba(common) Mama Chisom, how did just see them? Were they on the road?"Ada asked as she rested her chin on her right palm.

"Where I saw them isn't important, the koko be say why dem dey use SU do dirty job and sister Mary would give us the answer(where I saw them isn't important, the main question is why do they use Scripture Union for dirty acts),"she replied as the corner of her mouth turned up.

Salma suddenly got interested, she knew Chinelo must have seen something.

Mary's posture slumped and fear crossed her face . "Yes, there are those who pretend to be SU but aren't, that's why people wouldn't know what they did in the dark and there are the true ones. I'll see you later, I need to get something,"Mary excused herself.

"Thank you jare, you have cleared my doubt. Bye bye o," Chinelo shouted after her.

Mary hurriedly left, she knew Chinelo must have seen her with one of her clients because the way Chinelo looked at her was absurd.

It wasn't easy being the Pastor's daughter, people expected her to be perfect which wasn't possible, Scripture Union was what she used to cover up. If her dad get to know, he would definitely throw her and her mother out.

mama Sarah gave Chinelo a puzzled look. "What was that about?" she narrowed her eyes and patiently waited for Chinelo to spill.

Chinelo laughed. "The SU wey I dey talk about na Mary(the SU I am referring to is Mary)," she replied and clapped her hands.

"God of Mercy!"Salma shouted.

"Omo pastor!"Ada screamed.

"Chai, Mama Chisom tún tí dè ó (Mama Chisom has come again). Where and when did you see her with another man?"Iya Sarah asked.

Chinelo went on to narrate how she caught sister Mary in the act, but skipped the bathing part again.

"Haba, you shouldn't have invaded in their privacy and I wonder why they didn't even draw the curtain,"Ada's face contorted.

"Na Holy spirit say make I check, no be say I like to dey pokenose(Holy Spirit asked me to peep, I really don't poke nose). Don't tell anybody o,"Chinelo warned.

"Hmm," Salma hummed knowing fully well that Chinelo would end up telling everybody.

Chinelo stood and stretched her stiff body. "I wan go hawk, help me dey look Chetachi o(I want to go hawk, help me watch Chetachi),"she pleaded as she stifled a yawn.

"Ahah, today is January 1st now and you still want to hawk?" Salma asked as awe overtook her face.

"Even if today is December 25th, I will still hawk. It's not like we have things to celebrate the new year with", Chinelo shrugged her shoulders and went inside.

"I will also sell paraga tonight, money matters,"Iya Sarah seconded.

To the people of Ajegunle, festive periods were like other normal days, hustle and bustle wasn't affected in anyway. They consider everyday to be a special day anyway.

******
"I swear she's my cousin not my girlfriend, I dare not cheat on you,"Prof. begged Salma desperately.

They were at the backyard, most, if not all of the neigbours were out for the night breeze while Kemi was still in the room and opted for a mini rechargeable fan which she brought along.

"You think I'm a baby abi? You once told me you are an orphan with no family,"Salma whisper yelled and placed her hands on her hips.

"Ehm, well....I... she is my... colleague at work,"prof stuttered.

"Colleague again?"Salma's jaw went slack.

"Yes, she has a problem with her boyfriend so she decided to come stay with me for a while," Prof. lied again as worry lines framed his face and tugged at his eyes.

Salma chuckled bitterly. "Pele o(sorry o) Father Theresa, I'm not a fool and I know what you are up to. Don't dare me,"she warned and stabbed a finger on his chest.

"Baby please,"Prof pleaded and tried his best to keep his frustration in check.

  Had he known, he would have just stayed loyal to the one lady who was ready to do anything and everything for him but his selfish desires led him to sleeping with a 15- year old girl. 

   Starting from their escapades  mostly in motels, bathrooms and seldomly, in his room, he knew he didn't deserve someone like Kemi. He was in a deep mess and needed to act fast, Kemi was his only ticket, his only ticket out of the slum.

Salma looked around. "Don't baby me, I need to leave before someone sees us,"she told him and whirled around to leave.

    Unbeknown to them, someone already saw them and it was just a matter of time before their dirty secret was revealed.

Do not tarnish other people's images because of your wayward ways! Call yourself what/who you are! 😑
Good morning everyone 😎😎
Jumuah Mubarak to the muslim readers of SIS🕌
Happy weekend to the Christian readers of SIS💃

Less than 10 chapters to go, I think😒